Alcoholic parties and the rise in crime among children under 14. Non-childhood problems were discussed at the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee
Along with chronic problems that arise in one district or another, new negative phenomena have been recorded. In particular, so-called "alcohol parties" – youth gatherings with alcohol in apartments where parents are absent for the evening or night.
As reported by Anton Volkov, senior assistant prosecutor of the region, an online community has been discovered where young people from one of the districts discuss available apartments for holding such meetings. Among the subscribers are over 50 minors who participated in correspondence about drinking alcohol together.
Through destructive communities and social networks, young individuals are drawn into criminal activities, including with the help of adults who exploit their naivety. Based on the results of last year, the region noted a significant increase in crime among adolescents under 14 years of age, while overall juvenile delinquency decreased by 15%.
The number of children who have suffered from serious and particularly serious crimes, including those against sexual integrity, infliction of grievous bodily harm, and involvement in hooliganism and theft, has significantly increased.
Adults often push adolescents towards antisocial behavior through the same informal associations and social media groups. To counteract this influence, real interaction between crime prevention entities is necessary, which is also emphasized by the prosecutor's office.
Another important issue raised at the joint meeting is formalism in working with dysfunctional families, which is periodically allowed in certain districts by various prevention entities.
On the one hand, the mechanism for identifying family distress in the region is quite effective, partly due to the current regional interdepartmental regulation. As reported by Tamara Olekhnovich, Deputy Chairperson of the Regional Executive Committee's Commission for Juvenile Affairs, about 4,000 children from 2,300 families in the Vitebsk region are currently in a socially dangerous situation.
In 2018, about a thousand such children came to the attention of prevention entities, with 200 of them acquiring the socially dangerous situation (SDS) status for the first time.
It is noteworthy that among those identified for the first time, there are predominantly young children, which allows for preventing family tragedy at an early stage and increases the chances for a toddler to be placed in a foster family.
Tamara Vitalievna noted that almost 60% of children removed from their families last year were returned to their biological parents who had embarked on the path of correction.
There are still cases of repeated removal. Since the decree came into effect, 230 children have experienced such a shock more than once.
In 2018, in the Oktyabrsky district of Vitebsk and the Gorodok district, children had to be repeatedly removed shortly after their return to the family. Such a development within a single year was previously more of an exception.
Such facts are often the result of unjustified removal of the SDS status, insufficient social investigation into the family situation, and inadequate work with negligent parents and minors in difficult situations. Incidentally, similar shortcomings occurred in the Miory and Braslav districts – the work of local government bodies in protecting the rights of children, motherhood, and family was reviewed at a joint meeting of the regional executive committee.
Tamara Olekhnovich sees the need to strengthen work with parents, study their needs to identify fathers and mothers who genuinely want to overcome their crisis and provide them with comprehensive assistance.