Open Threats

So, my son got arrested last week for grand theft... According to the police department it was a practical joke gone bad, the victim’s item was returned however the mother chose to file charges anyways. Not that I can say that I really blame her. The police came to my house to pick him up, and said, "We'll call you when you can come and pick him up from the police department." To which I replied "Don't bother you can keep him or take him into juvenile hall." The arresting officer replied to me telling me that, "Juvenile Hall will NOT book him." I looked at the office and said, "Excuse Me, you stand here and tell me my son is being arrested for Grand Theft which is a Felony, but that Juvenile Hall won't book him why?" Officer’s response was, "Well Juvenile Hall is now releasing kids from their custody early, in order to make room for more violent offenders. As a matter of fact just within the last month they have released approximately 300 kids from all the facilities County wide." At this point I am pretty sure that my jaw dropped. I then replied saying, "You know I remember a time that kids were taken to jail overnight just to teach them a lesson, now you stand here and tell me that getting charged with a Felony isn't severe enough to book him into Juvenile Hall. Can someone please tell me how these kids are supposed to learn a lesson from the mistakes that they make, if they are not being held accountable for them, instead of just getting a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again. What is to stop these kids from the crimes becoming more violent? The probation department doesn't follow through or even return phone calls to the parents that are trying to get their kids to do the right thing." The officer looked at me and said, "You need to keep your son away from the Skate Park, and from these certain individuals in which he was arrested with." I said to the officer, "Unfortunately I am a single mother who cannot afford to quit my job to be with him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I leave my house at 6:30 every morning and am home no later than 4:30 in the afternoon. The only thing I do outside of work is bowl on Monday and Friday evenings from 6-9pm. Other than that is the time that I run every morning while my child is still in his bed sleeping. 9 times out of 10 he is home when I tell him to be home, and other than having issues with him forgetting to do the dishes, he does what he's told by me. I have the phone numbers of his friends and their parents; if I don't know where he is I can usually find him within a short period of time. I know everywhere in which he hangs out, and 80% of the time know what he's doing during that time as well. So what else can I do other than that?" The officer just looked at me and replied with, "Honestly Ma'am I don't know what else you can do other than that!" The officer then proceeded to tell me that they were going to take him to the station, book him, and then bring him back home when they were done. He gave me the option of going with him and I declined that offer.

This morning at about 7:30am I received a phone call on my cell that I did not recognize, so I did not answer it. This number then proceeded to call my office; it was my son calling from a number other than his own since his phone had died. My son asked me to hold on a minute. Then I heard another voice on the phone, "Hi Marie, this is Officer Morrison with the La Habra Police Department. We need for you to come and pick up your son." My response, "I'm sorry but I am at work in Anaheim and I have no vehicle in which to come and get him." Officer "Well do you know of any adult that is able to come and get him?" Me: "Yes but not right now, I don’t have anyone that can pick him up until later this afternoon." Officer: "Well you don't want us to take him to Juvenile Hall do you?" Me: "Actually, Yes I Do. It’s obvious that is the only way he's going to learn a lesson." Officer: "Can you please hold on a minute?" Me: "Sure" Officer: "Well since he hasn't really broken any laws we can't warrant taking him in, so we'll just transport him home." Me: "Well since he's supposed to be at school in 20 minutes you could always just take him there and drop him off." Officer: "Ok we will do that and have to the school contact you to confirm that he is there." Me: "Thank You"

Regardless of my issues with my son's behavior or lack of following direction. I honestly believe it’s going to take my son to hit rock bottom, or going to jail to realize how badly he is screwing up his life.

I have an issue with the County of Orange Juvenile Justice System as well. Please stop threatening to take my child to jail, just to get a reaction out of me... It will get you NO WHERE! If you're going to threaten to take him to jail, then follow through with what you say and please take him. If you can't because he has yet to reach the Violent Offender point, then please explain to me why you keep threatening to take him. It pisses me off to no end when you tell me that’s what you're going to do, for you to turn around and tell me that you can't because his crime isn't violent enough. Seriously!!!! You're only making it harder on yourself, not only that stop threatening to do this in front of the children who may face going to jail, only to turn around and admit that Juvenile Hall wont book him until he becomes violent. Seriously are you a complete MORON??? Sure tell me in front of the child that he won’t go to jail! Please try to SCARE him a little more, even when you arrested him last week you didn't put him in hand cuffs, nothing but pat him down and empty his pockets! Come on now the police did a better job at scaring me when I was 16, 17 and 18, then you are doing now. These kids now are far worse than we ever were in High School.

I understand that discipline starts at home, and I do the best that I can being only me. My son talks to me and tells me things about his life that most kids would never tell their parents. My son chooses to lie about the little things, instead of the big things. I know when he's lying to me, and he knows that I do, yet he continues to do it. Half the time even though I already know he's lying, his friends end up blowing the whistle on him anyways. It never ceases to amaze me at how willing his friends are to tell me what he's doing wrong, especially when they are the ones encouraging this type of behavior. I know from experience that there is no point in telling my son that he can no longer be friends with these people, because he won't listen. At this point of his life he believes that friends are the most important people in his life. Unfortunately I remember all too well thinking the same exact way when I was his age, and that my Mom didn't understand anything either. I can only hope that he learns something about his friends sometime soon. Before it becomes too late for him to change for the better.