FIGHTING BACK AGAINST YOUTH CRIME

A group of parents in the Columbia neighbourhood are uniting to rid
their streets of youth crime.

The parents of one family who lives nearby - who asked that their name
be withheld for fear of reprisals - organized a community meeting at
Columbia Elementary School recently to bring together concerned
neighbours to talk about what they can do to make their streets safe
again.

Violence and drug-dealing have escalated dramatically over the last
six months, said the father.

It isn't uncommon to see people smoking pot in the bus stop at the
corner, he said.

On a Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving, the family witnessed a
fight over drugs at the end of their driveway, which spilled over into
the Columbia school sports field where neighbourhood children were
playing, he said.

Vandalism and noise from partying are also common, he added.

"Most of the kids in the neighbourhood are great kids," said the mom.
"There are a few though that aren't and our idea behind the meeting is
to protect the kids."

A big problem is the location, said Penticton RCMP Cpl. Rick
Dellebuur, who attended the meeting.

Tucked behind rows of houses on the north and west sides, down the
hill from the school on the east side and far from the road on the
south side, the area is secluded and unlit, making it a natural hang
out for young people interested in getting involved in undesirable
activities, he said.

A lone tree toward the back of the school property has been nicknamed
the happy tree because it is a popular place for youth to drink and do
drugs, he said.

The police have stepped up patrols and responded with unmarked cars
and officers on foot, but these measures only have a limited impact,
he said. The young people run when the see the police then start their
activities when the officer is out of sight, he said.

The area has problems not only from local teenagers but also from
youth that are driven to the area by their parents to hang out, said
crime prevention coordinator Al Sismey, who also attended the meeting.

Improved lighting and involving the nearby Penticton Garden Townhouses
in the crime-free multi-housing program will help stop the crime, he
said.

Meeting together and acknowledging that the incidents are a concern to
the whole area is also important, he said.

"It reinforces that there are a bunch of people there looking for a
safe place to live; a place for their kids to go outside and play," he
said.

"There's a whole bunch of people and a whole bunch of eyes and ears
that are prepared to stand up and be counted and hold people
responsible."

Parents have said they are willing to identify those involved, even if
it means looking through yearbooks to find them, he said. "They're
prepared to do whatever they need to do to help solve the problem," he
said.

But the problem is ultimately one of parents not knowing what their
kids are doing, he said.

"We have some parents that think it is simply okay to let their kids
hang out and do drugs and whatever the other activities are in
somebody else's back yard," he said. "Sooner or later, the
responsibility is going to come back into their lap."