A different approach to helping troubled teens – mentoring

Mentors work to help troubled teens

By CLAUDIA ROWE
P-I REPORTER

One girl, at 17, is already a mother of two and charged with prostitution. Life so far, to hear her tell it, would be unbelievable to most people.

Another youth, 18-year-old Carlos Bernardez, faced a weapons possession case and says his main goal now is to become a better father to his daughter while finding a way to earn money — legally.

Both teens present such an array of challenges that any number of caseworkers might immediately give up. But a small, quiet battalion of adults is determined to mentor them over these hurdles, along with hundreds of other youths in King County.

Mentors, trained professionals or dedicated volunteers, stay-at-home moms or ex-gang members, appear to be among the least expensive, most effective means of stemming a tide of youth crime and gang violence that is beginning to make funeral attendance de rigueur for hundreds of young people.

In the past year, six teenagers have been killed in gang-related shootings in and around Seattle. And the list of court-referred kids awaiting mentors is growing — far longer than the roster of those who have signed up to serve.

“We’re just trying to do everything we can to address this and make a difference for our young people, because they’re losing ground,” said Hazel Cameron, a committee chairwoman with Washington State Mentors and executive director of the 4C Mentoring Coalition in Seattle.

The Drug War in 100 Seconds

Law Enforcement: This Week’s Corrupt Cops Stories

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/561/police_drug_corruption

A trio of bad apples from Arizona, including a DARE officer with a penchant for sexual assault, made the news this week, while the city of Berwyn, Illinois, found itself in a bit of hot water over the way it used asset forfeiture funds. Let’s get to it:

In Nogales, Arizona, a former Nogales DARE officer was convicted last Friday on numerous charges related to unwanted sexual contact with young women. Ramon Borbon, 40, was convicted of sexual abuse and obstructing a criminal investigation in the case of a 16-year-old girl whom he forced to touch him inappropriately and threatened to stop her from going to authorities. He was also convicted of sexual assault and kidnapping charges in the case of a 19-year-old woman for restraining and raping her. He was in uniform during both incidents. In a motion ruling during trial, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge James Soto wrote that Borbon has “a character trait which gives rise to an aberrant sexual propensity” and that he appeared to have “identified young, vulnerable females with a history of psychological and/or substance abuse problems that are less likely to come forward and if they do, are less likely to be considered credible.” There are also at least four other complaints of sexual abuse against Borbon. The police department had earlier found them to be “without merit.” He will be sentenced December 12.

The Truth about Marijuana?

Hey kids, stop and think for a minute. The above video is the U.S. Government’s official thinking about marijuana. Even if you haven’t tried cannabis, you know what a silly piece of crap that video is. So my question is this: If the government is telling insane lies like that to you, what else do you think they are lying about? … Are they telling you the truth about anything?

Source: http://www.matrixmasters.com/blog/2008/11/hillarious-attempt-to-demonize.html

Beneath The Radar: Rock’s Greatest Secret Bands

Interesting, with great links on page:

http://www.jericsmith.com/secretbands.htm