Nov 26, 2007 11:38PM GMT
Question
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Music - Hip-Hop
Do you believe that children born into poverty and lured into gang life should be labeled as criminals? Please comment.?
There are about 101 boys and girls held prisoner in Haiti’s Delmas 33 prison complex. These children, ranging from the ages of 10-17, were born into the poorest of slums and lured into the gang life by promises of food and money or simply from the fear of the members' violent threats. These little “soldiers”, as they are called by gang members, act as the gangs’ messengers or lookouts.Instead of offering help to these children for rehabilitation, the government labeled them as common criminals and threw them in prison, eliminating their chance of someday becoming a successful adult.
Yéle Haiti has now altered the future for these children by providing them a rehabilitation program. Yéle Haiti collaborated with Foundation PRODEV and created an educational program for the boys and girls to attend when discharged from the prison. The program includes vocational training and counseling for the imprisoned youth.
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Answered Undecided
You'd have to evaluate each child individually. I'm sure some, if not most, are doing this with nothing but good intentions to help their families. The same applies to American children. However, there may be some that are corrupted and ultimately criminal minded, and will continue to live that way into adulthood, even with education and counseling. Routine psychological exams may help to seperate the two groups, if funding is available. Either way, Yéle Haiti is a noble cause, and I wish the orginization great success. -
Answered No
Well if you put it in context of Haiti and the children there than I would have to vote no.
Looking at industrialized countries that are full of opportunity, I would have to say that those who fall into a "gang life" and commit crimes are criminals- yes they are a "product of their society" and other such details but they are still criminals.
Looking at Haiti, it is a much different situation. For many, its not crime its just survival. -
Answered No
For this particular case, I'll say NO being that many of them are underage and lock the ability to think and chose wisely. However, I believe the adults who lured them into gang should be charged and imprisoned as criminals. You can't really solve any problem without getting to the root cause. Soon or later, it will come back again when you thought it went away. Labeled/Locking up these kids won't solve the problem. The adults who are recruiting these kids into gangs need to be prosecuted and locked up. -
Answered No
i dont believe people born in poverty and who choose to be in gangs should be labeled as criminals. Even though it is a choice that you have to make sometimes thats the only choice out of a few that looks like the best thing to do. when your born in poverty all you know is that little place that u live in. you don't think theres a big world out there and that theres more that life has to offer. you live with what you have unless someone shows you a better way. -
Answered Undecided
it is difficult to say because when you break the law you are a criminal and as soon as that doesn't follow through the whole idea of laws won't work. I think that it is awesome that they have an educational program for the people that have been discharged. There should be more opportunities for these people. -
Answered Yes
Will there be programs to help keep the children out of the gangs and off of the streets? Will there be rehabilitation programs for the gang members as well? Educational and/or substance abuse programs made available to the older citizens as well as the young? -
Answered Undecided
If the program actually functions It sounds like a good idea.The vocational training and such won't do much good without jobs to go to. Otherwise it's a waste of time and money to send them back to the gangs that fed them and supported them before going to prison. I think I want to know more. -
Answered Undecided
I would have to know more to pass judgment on the government of Haiti. Were these child gang members really just lookouts and messengers or were they also involved in the violence. Also I would look at 15-17 year olds a lot differently than 10-12 year olds so the age composition of the 101 boys and girls would also be very critical to me.
On the surface this looks like a simple right and wrong issue but things are rarely, if ever, that simple. I have never been to Haiti so I cannot comment with experience on their situation. I have, however, spent a lot of time in Africa and I have had first hand experience with boy soldiers of this age group and they scared me to the bottom of my soul. A child with an AK-47 is a very frightening thing: a person capable of untold atrocities because he has not yet developed any sense of right and wrong.
Before we get too moralistic and judgmental on the situation in Haiti we need to know more than this little bit of information given above. -
Answered No
The difference for most of these children will be this rehabilitation program. I'm glad it's been put into place. I think that many countries have a similar problem with their poor - the children are preyed upon and lured into a life of crime. Rehabilitation programs are vital to show them how to live a productive life. -
Answered Yes
It is not their *fault* that they were lured into a life of poverty and gang involvement, but the definition of criminal still applies. If your poll relates to sentencing and conviction, perhaps there needs to be new legislation to assist people exposed to such harsh life with few opportunities and choices after going down the wrong path. -
Answered No
I thin this question is an ignorant and unecessary question. Children who are born into poverty and lured into gang life should not at all or even ever be considered criminals because for one, majority of the time these children do not choose to grow up in poverty, but because of the social and financial burdens that are placed upon their families growing up in an impoverished community is going to be inevitable. I think that the children who are born into poverty and lured into violence need guidance and love and attention that is not being provided from their cl
Answered Yes
If they commit a crime, they are criminals