Families need to stop enabling, say parents at Surrey crime meeting
Posted April 22, 2015 1:46 am.
Last Updated April 22, 2015 6:49 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – How to stop the gun violence? That’s what more than 700 people at a community forum held at Tamanawis Secondary School in Surrey tried to tackle after about two dozen shootings recently, one of which left 22-year-old Arun Bains dead.
Although it was difficult for some to take in, the crowd heard tales of how families are often acting as enablers of crime. Most agree that needs to be stopped. “I think the parents should stop protecting their kids, you’ve got a lot of parents that deny their kids are even involved and that’s where the underlying problem is,” argues Noreen.
Many feel parents have to get more involved in their kids’ lives. “I believe that parenting comes into this as a large factor so it’s definitely necessary to increase the role of a parent to avoid this from happening in the first place,” says Gagan.
“You have to instill in your children this is not the lifestyle that’s going to get you anywhere,” adds Shammy.
Another common response, people think there needs to be an increase in gang prevention programs and volunteer mentors for kids. Education and outreach was a major focus, in specific, the need for a strategy to teach young people that gangs aren’t “cool” and that giving police info doesn’t make you a “rat” or a “snitch.”
Others believe more police officers would help especially with the growing population in Surrey.
