Sandtown Youth Sports Association: My Site News: Community Alert! Burglaries and Youth Offenders

Community Alert! Burglaries and Youth Offenders
Burglaries and Youth Offenders

If you've not been a victim of a burglary you may not know about the rash of break-ins in Sandtown. Over the month of December there were 18. This problem exists metro-wide not just in Sandtown. We all agree that we can use more police officers, but that is just part of the problem.

In an update from a Fulton County police officer at the monthly Sandtown Community Association meeting we learned that most of these daytime burglaries are being committed by teenagers who have dropped out of school, been suspended or are skipping school.

These aren't teens coming from impoverished neighborhoods or other parts of town, these are our children that live in our subdivisions, that stay at home unsupervised during the day, watch you pull out in the morning and break in your house.

The latest stunt they commit is to look out for idling cars warming up in the driveway to steal. They use these stolen vehicles to transport themselves to and from burglaries and/or school and then ditch them.

During the day typically between 8 AM and 2 PM they'll ring the doorbell. If no one answers the door, they'll kick the front or back door in, and snatch electronics, jewelry and cash and leave quickly.

The police are actively arresting these adolescent offenders. They are patrolling our neighborhoods in marked and undercover squad cars and responding as best they can to calls from alert neighbors, but here is the dilemma: It’s essentially a catch and release program because of state youth offender laws. Until a youth accumulates 12 points, the police must release the child to their parents; they are not locked up and sent to the youth detention center when the commit non-violent crimes.

So how many points does a teenager get for a given crime you ask? Burglary 3 points, car theft 2 points and they must be caught in the act. Are you following this? A teen must be arrested 4 times for burglary or 6 times for grand theft auto before even going to juvenile. The only exception I understand when a teen is sent to jail without accumulating 12 points is a crime committed with a weapon, possession of a weapon, or assault.

So it becomes a revolving door for youths who working the system are fully aware that they can break the law with impunity and just get released to their parents for a time and a season and ultimately when they become adults they start with a clean slate.

It is time to toughen youth offender laws that go overboard protecting the rights of youths at the expense of others. I solicit your assistance in encouraging our legislators to introduce legislation to protect our homes and property. There should also be consequences for the offender’s parents to compel them to pay for damages their minor child commits. The police only enforce the law, it is the legislature that makes it.

Your assignments:

Email your legislators or call them

Add support comments on the issue on the legislator's suggestion website (http://georgiaspeaks.com)

Form neighborhood watch groups.

Report suspicious activity.

Lock all windows and doors.

Install and turn on your alarm system with a cellular backup in case of cut phone lines.

Make sure your children and your neighbor's are in check.

Email Sandtown's State Legislators: Click Here

Sandtown Legislator's Office Contact Info:

Senator Kasim Reed Office Phone: (404) 463-1379
Representative Roger Bruce Office Phone: (404) 656-0314
Representative Tyrone Brooks Office Phone: (404) 656-6372
Police Assistance:

For Emergencies: 911
Non-Emergencies: 404-730-7911
South Fulton Crime Prevention Officer: Corporal T. Alexander
Click here for the Crime Prevention Unit Page
COPS UNIT TIP LINE

You can report crime and remain anonymous. Call 404-730-6529 to report crime. You do not have to leave a number or a name. Just report the following:

What is happening and why you think it is illegal.
What time of day the illegal act is occurring.
Give any clothing descriptions and or any physical appearances.
Any information that will help stop the criminal act from occurring.













   

Last Updated: February 02, 2007.

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PO Box 311307, Atlanta, GA 31131-1307