Prevention Works

Cyberbullying Is Everyone’s Problem

Last week, we launched a campaign to help reduce cyberbullying among teens. In our kickoff, we focused on teenaged girls, who are both at high risk of cyberbullying attacks and are often cyberbullies themselves. However, cyberbullying does not affect only teens; as an article the Washington Post makes clear, adults face cyberbullying too.

Last week, the Post reported on the plight of several law students who had been victims of “reputation mangling” on a popular message board, Xoxohth. The students had been variously libeled by other law students. One victim had been ridiculed, threatened, and impersonated online. Another had photos copied from a social networking site and then been “rated” for attractiveness versus other female law students. The popularity of the discussions caught Google’s attention, too, meaning that when potential employers look for information about these bullying victims, as many do, they will find message board threads dedicated to demeaning the victims. The site participant’s behavior certainly constitutes cyberbullying, which is defined as harassing, demeaning, or abusing someone online. The Post’s article suggests that cyberbullying has led to lost job opportunities and physical harassment for these women.

For adults, cyberbullying is a particularly difficult problem. Although high school students have parents to turn to help, adults have few resources to help them cope with bullies. The law schools involved in the examples above decried the behavior, but they also claimed that there is little they can do to control it. Thus, adults who are victims online are left to fend for themselves. They are not entirely vulnerable, however. First, adults can protect themselves by being careful of what kind of information they put online; just as we advise teens not to put too much identifying information on social networking sites and to be careful which pictures of themselves they post, adults should do the same. Furthermore, according to the Post, at least one company is looking into the legal ramifications of online slander; such behavior may bear consequences for the cyberbullies. If you are the victim of cyberbullying, you may want to obtain professional help to have the material removed on your behalf. Finally, the behavior highlights the importance of educating young people about cyberbullying and its dangers; if you interact with teens, be sure to direct them to NCPC’s cyberbullying campaign and talk to them about the dangers of cyberbullying. I hope that as we educate new generations about the real consequences of online behavior, we can prevent many of the problems we face now.

Tagging Sex Offenders

According to an article in the New York Times, legislation has been proposed in Ohio that “would require all habitual and child-oriented convicted sex offenders” to have a fluorescent green license plate, making them easy to spot.  Moreover, judges in Ohio would have the discretion to require anyone who has committed a sexually oriented crime to have the license plate.  These plates would be issued for a minimum of five years, after which the offender could petition the court for removal of the plates if he could show he is no longer a threat to the community.  Ohio already has a program that requires anyone convicted more than once of driving under the influence have a yellow license plate with red lettering, so this program would just be an extension of that one. 

By issuing easily recognizable and identifiable plates, the state will be employing shaming techniques to deter sexual predators from committing more crimes as well as providing a warning for adults and children to stay away from cars with these license plates.  However, some people argue that these license plates could just make sex offenders, as well as their family members who could potentially be driving the car, targets in their communities.  In this instance, it would no longer be just the offender who is being punished; it could be the offender’s entire family.  Another argument against the plates is that they could give children the idea that anyone without the green plates is safe to approach, which could be very dangerous. 

While the green license plates could potentially be beneficial to announce to the public that a sexual offender is nearby, is it worth the cost to society?

Rethinking Rehab

Lately, experts have been rethinking the methods used to treat some of society’s most heinous criminals: sex offenders.  Although rehabilitation and treatment programs are widespread, a recent series in the New York Times cast doubt on the value of many of these programs.  The psychology behind a sex offender’s crimes is so complex that it frequently defies comprehension, making rehabilitation all the more difficult. But it seems obvious that we need to reach consensus about the most effective treatment for this kind of criminal, and we ought to do it soon.

At the center of the current debate about treating sex offenders is the widely used practice of civil commitment.  This involves committing offenders to facilities where they will undergo rehabilitation after serving their jail terms.  Proponents of civil commitment claim that it is a good way to keep dangerous offenders off the streets, at least for a while.  But it is also extremely expensive, and many critics do not believe that the end results justify the means.  In one article, the New York Times highlighted the ineffectiveness of one such program in Florida, almost to a surreal degree.  According to the article, treatment was virtually nonexistent at that particular facility.

But in other cases, and at other facilities, progress is being made.  In another Times article, Dr. R. Karl Hanson, senior research officer for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness in Canada, was cited as saying that

“Various studies had shown that ‘most treatments don’t work very well,’ but that, overall, treatment had a modest beneficial effect.” 

He further said that in 2002, 12 percent of sex offenders who received treatment relapsed, compared with 17 percent of untreated offenders.  So, as in our current debate on incarceration, the question becomes whether these “modest” positive effects are worth the steep price of civil commitment.

Finally, yet another article from the Times makes it very clear that the basis for choosing which sex offenders are committed to these civil institutions is very muddled.  Many violent offenders who have raped and even murdered their victims are sometimes passed over, while other offenders of “noncontact” crimes (e.g., public exposure) are committed.  The range of offenders inside these institutions is so broad I cannot imagine how one specific therapy would benefit all the offenders detained.   Subsequently, I would propose an overhaul of the entire selection process upon which these commitments are based.  Our goal should be to keep the most violent and dangerous offenders off the streets and away from children.  But we do not seem to be achieving that goal yet.

Testing Trust

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that suspicionless drug testing of students is constitutional, some school districts have implemented drug tests for their student populations. Testing tools sold to school districts are also being marketed for home use, offering parents the opportunity to test their children for drug use as well. Drug screening, however, is understandably contentious, with the federal government offering grants to schools to test students and scientists saying that the testing doesn’t help prevent drug use. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) weighed in and asserted that drug screening is not only ineffective for prevention, but that it can be harmful.

As discussed in this space before, a parent’s respect is an incredibly effective tool in preventing drug use in young people. Indeed, according to theantidrug.org, “[t]wo-thirds of teens say that losing their parents' respect and pride is one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs.” Without trust though, there cannot be respect. This is the argument against the practice; according to MSNBC.com, the AAP asserts that “[d]rug testing also creates a counterproductive climate of ‘resentment, distrust and suspicion’ between children and their parents or school administrators.” The AAP also claims that “screening for illicit drugs is a complicated process prone to errors and cheating, and has not been shown to curtail youngsters’ drug use.” Thus, not only are the tests largely useless, but they also destroy one of the best prevention tools we have: trust.

To me, the accuracy of the tests is largely irrelevant in the face of the climate the tests promote. Parents are a powerful force in shaping their children’s lives. By talking to their children, they can learn when intervention and scientific testing may be in order. Otherwise, being involved in a child’s life is a less expensive and more effective way to prevent drug use. The alternative — suspicion and secrecy — only serves to weaken relationships and endanger children.

Hat tip to Corrections Sentencing.

Delete Cyberbullying

Today, we at NCPC kicked off a new national campaign to prevent cyberbullying among our country’s youth.  But since it such a new (and somewhat obscure) issue, I thought that the topic was also worthy to highlight on our blog.  In fact, as I type this, the word “cyberbullying” is accented by that squiggly red line that normally lets me know when I am butchering the English language.  However, I am sure that parents and educators across the country will soon be well aware of this new term, and my word processing program will be updated to include the word in its next version.

Cyberbullying is a close cousin of bullying, but defined more specifically as the use of the Internet, cell phones, or other technology to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.  Teens who are cyberbullied experience a wide range of emotional responses, including anger, shame, embarrassment, and fear, and they may want to seek revenge.  The consequences can be dire, and the effects of cyberbullying have resulted in depression, school violence, and teen suicide.  It’s these dramatic outcomes that spurred our new national campaign.

On top of that, 43 percent of teens were victims of cyberbullying last year, but only one in ten told their parents about it.  Because of this, we implore parents to involve themselves with their children’s use of the Internet and other technologies. The new campaign highlights several ways they can do this:

• Set guidelines:  Set rules for Internet use and monitor your teen’s use of technology.
• Select a central location:  Place your home computer in a central location, such as your kitchen or living room. 
• Discuss the issue:  Set expectations for online behavior and discourage your teen from posting others’ personal information or contributing to slam sites.
• Save the evidence:  If your teen has been cyberbullied, make sure that you copy all messages and websites—you may need them for reporting purposes.
• Encourage positive behavior:  Make sure your teen is not sending or posting text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.
• Block cyberbullying messages: Learn how you and your teen can ask to block cyberbullying messages through the Internet service provider (ISP), social network site, or chat room moderator. Seventy-one percent of teens believe this is the most effective way to prevent cyberbullying.

For more information on this emerging trend, visit the new NCPC Cyberbullying campaign.

Truant Tracking

Lawmakers in Prince George’s County, MD, are desperately trying to address the issue of rampant truancy among the county’s youth.  And though it is a very serious problem for the region, Prince George’s officials are considering some disproportionately extreme tactics to address it.  If the current legislation being considered is signed into law, then the worst student offenders could be forced to wear electronic monitoring devices, such as ankle bracelets, so their whereabouts can be tracked.  But, as it often goes, this strategy only serves as a bandage for the wound, when we should all be more focused on preventing the injury in the first place. 

The root causes of truancy can involve a number of different factors, including fear of attending school, family problems, and economic problems.  We need more than satellite monitoring devices to truly address this issue.  Student offenders should be invited to the table when policymakers are discussing the issue and possible solutions.  The school system should involve parents, their communities, social workers, and nonprofit organizations to come to a more rational conclusion than to require students to submit to Orwellian practices. 

Luckily, the bill was put on hold until the conclusions of a truancy study are released in May.  Perhaps that will give people enough time to come to their senses, and realize that we should be addressing the root of the truancy problem, rather than criminalizing our nation’s youth.

Celebrate Your Youth

Millions of youth will celebrate National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, on April 20-22.  Every year in April, Youth Service America, a national resource center, along with its thousands of organization partners, including the National Crime Prevention Council, celebrates and recognizes youths’ involvement in service-learning projects within their communities. 

This annual celebration helps to educate the public, the news media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders and how service-learning projects give them the opportunity to be vital members of their community. Not only are youth playing a vital role in giving back to the community, but they are also learning life-long skills that enrich them with the sense that they can make a difference in the world. 

According to a recent brief from the Corporation for National & Community Service (PDF):

“…service-learning programs can have positive impacts on youth in three general areas: academics, engagement and achievement; civic attitudes and behaviors; and social and personal skills.”

The Internet can help offer a wealth of information and resources about service-learning projects. With this information handy, all children and youth can actively participate and make a meaningful contribution using their creativity and analytical skills.

NCPC’s Teens, Crime, and the Community (TCC) initiative promotes service-learning through the Community Works program.  Community Works is a two-volume curriculum that educates youth about crime and victimization prevention and it helps youth engage in a variety of critical thinking and problem-solving activities in order to apply them to real-life situations.  TCC is currently promoting service-learning by awarding competitive grants of up to $500 to all interested parties (and Community Works sites) that can support a service-learning project that is planned and implemented by youth who identify needs and create projects to address or prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse in their schools and communities for National & Global Youth Service Day. If you work with youth, consider applying for the grant, or taking part in this year’s National & Global Youth Service Day!