Magistrate says theft is number one offence committed by juveniles

Magistrate Gloria Augustus has singled out theft as the number one offence committed by juveniles appearing before the courts in recent times.

In an exclusive interview with Dominica News Online, Augustus said that most juvenile delinquents who appear before her are somehow involved in stealing.

“Everybody is stealing from everybody. From their neighbors, from people, and is the kind of ways that they do it. Because most times when they steal I ask them why, and then we end up having a talk and I understand why they did it.  So, there’s a lot of theft going on. There’s too much theft,” she asserted.

Augustus, who normally sits in juvenile, child maintenance and domestic violence courts, said that cannabis use and possession as well as violent crimes are among other matters she usually has to deal with.

“And another thing has to do with cannabis… they either smoke or they want to be enterprising businessmen and want to sell marijuana and  offensive weapons. They like to fight.  And a lot of times they fight to the extent that it ends up being grievous bodily harm,” the magistrate disclosed.

The magistrate also explained that the juveniles also commit other acts associated with stealing, such as handling stolen goods. She told Dominica News Online that the theft is often associated with brand-name goods. Even when brand-name items are not stolen the stolen item would usually be traded in or sold in order for the juvenile to acquire a brand-name item.

She described an encounter that she had with a local owner of a brand-name boutique whom she confronted in her quest to find out where some of the juveniles obtained the money to purchase these expensive articles.

“Once I went into a store and told a gentleman, because his store kept being mentioned a lot, when they [the juveniles] get their money they go to his store and buy them things there. I told him if he could try and find out where they get their money …ask them a question. Yes, you are a business man but I don’t think you want to be a business man at the expense of children stealing and coming to your store. He listened to me, but I don’t know if he did anything… I didn’t know what else to do,” the magistrate explained.

The magistrate pointed to problems at home as a possible cause of deviant behavior among youth.  She said that in many instances there is no father or parental supervision at the home. She said that many times the misguided offenders only depict the treatment that they receive at home from guardians and parents.

“I blame a lot of fathers because at lot of fathers are not there at all to do anything; to maintain, to help, and you find that the boys just go astray. More boys come; the girls come mainly for fighting and stealing. There are some parents who’ve tried and the children fall with other friends and so on; but generally, when the children come [before the court] there is some problem in the home,” the magistrate said.

Augustus mentioned an ongoing program which seeks to remedy juvenile delinquency in Dominica. The ongoing program, From Offending To Achieving (FOTA), offered through the Social Center seeks to engage young offenders in skills and computer education and training programs three days a week.

Hermisha Rolle/Staff Reporter