Term Paper on Troubled Teen

Total words: 2526

It seems as though everyone either knows personally or has heard of a troubled teen; whether it is the kid down the street, one of your child's friends or your own child. Is it preventable? Can they be helped? What causes teens to be so rebellious? Do state funded agencies or programs really work? These are just some of the questions that I find within myself.

I would like to say first of all that I found lots of statistics associated with troubled teens and juvenile delinquents but I chose not to include them because I do not believe in statistics. Every individual within a "statistic" has a name. Statistics do not give people hope; they are a generalization and they do not look at the individual. I believe that we need to help one "troubled teen" at a time, individually, according to what they need to rehabilitate their lives.

What causes these "troubled teens"? Do they just wake up one morning and decide to be rebellious? I think not. In my research, I found one study that actually identified a number of demographic and behavioral characteristics associated with the risk of becoming a troubled teen. "Ethnic minority status, aggressive, antisocial behavior, difficulties in school and school failures, [and] family stresses" (Scott; Nelson; Liaupsin; Jolivette; Christle; Riney) were all linked to the labeling of an "at risk teen". This report stated that the most important prevention factor was "effective instruction in academic and social skills" (Scott; Nelson; Liaupsin; Jolivette; Christle; Riney) through the school in which teens attend. I 100% disagree with their primary prevention factor. First of all, social skills are taught early on in the home. I was astonished that although this study included family stresses as a preventative measure, why was it not first and foremost? Our family and family life has the biggest influence over who we are and who we become. Our personalities are formed usually by the age of 5 and it is the family that molds and helps to create or destroy that. I have to wonder who paid for this study. Was it a company that sells, makes, or generates standardized tests within the public school system? (That would definitely help them out because they are then proving how school is the "mighty God") If we put all of our primary focus of preventative measure on the schools, than we are creating a heightened sense of "Importance" for the institution known as public school. I'm not implying that school in unimportant but I believe it is the family structure, love and support that should be the primary focus of preventative measures; not just troubled teens but in all areas of life. Family is first and should be first.

Parents of troubled teens often get to the point of desperation and send their child to programs such as military style boot camps or expensive nature therapy camps. There are other programs too such as Teen Challenge, and boarding schools. The worst case scenario would be Juvenile Detention, which in no way rehabilitates.

Many of these programs are short-term experiences that do not produce long-term alteration. A study on Juvenile boot camps programs for juvenile offenders was conducted by the FCL Education Fund of CA and in 1996 concluded that, "[n]o site graduated more than 50 percent" (FCL Research). Another study performed by the Koch Crime Institute suggests that, "It may also be worth considering that recidivism rates for lengthy detention in traditional juvenile settings are not much better than those of shorter camp style experiences. The report states that recidivism rates for traditional correctional facilities are between 63% and 71%" (FCL Research). Is there no one that sees these numbers and thinks that maybe we should find alternatives? Why keep doing what isn't working? Why go through all that money and trouble?

"No one wants to spend money on these "feral" youngsters, although they are very keen to punish them" (Angels and Devils, Alibhai-Brown 22). Surely, there has to be a better way to help these teenagers than through punishment methods. Perhaps the punishment is an easy fix to those in authority; subdues the teen for a while or at least detains him temporarily. Can we not do better than that? I'm not implying that teenagers should not be held accountable for wrong-doings. There should absolutely be consequences for one's actions.

We need to get to the heart of that matter even if that means one at a time. What happened to these teenagers when they were children? Were they victims of sexual or physical assault? Do they come from dysfunctional families? Ironically, I found little or no information focusing on the family and what a sound family can actually prevent. It makes me wonder if that is only a reflection of the society that ours has become. Families seem to have little or no importance especially with the divorce rate being a 1 out of every 2 ending in divorce. And yet, our society has embraced with open arms the notion of the "blame game". Who is going to take responsibility for the deviant behaviors of some teenagers? Having sex, getting pregnant and changing diapers is not the end of parenting; it is only the beginning. It is like the water in a stew. If that is all you had and all you did then you would only have a beverage not a hearty meal. You need the meat, potatoes, vegetables, seasoning incorporated also in order to make something out of nothing. This is love, support, structure, belief, understanding, compassion etc.

I had my own personal experience in dealing with a troubled teen. In March of 2004 I got a phone call from a not-so-close "friend" in Louisiana. For about a month, I was getting phone calls everyday from Tonya, the frantic mother of a troubled teen. She would sob and ask me for advice as to what she should do. The circumstances were getting into fights at school, getting expelled from school, drug abuse, running away and finally suicide attempts. I was so frustrated at the whole situation because I believe 100% that the reason Brittany, the troubled teen, was acting out in this manner was because of her home environment and how she was raised. I do not believe that Tonya was a good mother and frankly she is a little clueless as to the "Children learn what they live" notion.
Let me shed some light onto Brittany's background. Brittany's mother, Tonya, is 33. She got pregnant for Brittany when she was 15. She dropped out of school and proceeded to have 2 more children, all who have different fathers. Tonya gave her youngest child, Destiny, to the father when she was born because she was addicted to Cocaine at the time and knew she could not care for an infant. Tonya is a daily marijuana smoker. She has never held a job longer than 6 months throughout her life. She has had a string of abusive relationships and is currently married to the latest one.

Now let's talk about Brittany's step-dad. His name is Scotty. Tonya met Scotty at the New Iberia Parish Courthouse. He was just getting out of jail for attempted murder on his wife's lover. Tonya fell in love despite this knowledge and dated him for many years. Brittany was six years old when her mom had met Scotty. That was when I met Tonya, Brittany and Scotty.
I lived in Louisiana next door to one of Tonya's friends. Eventually we got acquainted and I felt so bad for little Brittany who was only 6 then. My husband and I had 2 babies at the time but we would have Brittany spend the night or take her out for ice cream or take her to the Dollar Store. Her younger brother, Darin, had a grandmother that took him often and spoiled him and made him feel loved; Britt didn't have anyone.

Even at six years old Brittany showed signs of what was to come later on in her life. The first night she spent the night at my house I was awoken in the middle of the night from a blood curdling scream. She was screaming, "Don't hit my momma". It took me about 5 minutes to wake her up from that nightmare. She had those awful nightmares every night her mother had told me and according to her, "it was no big deal". Britt also latched right onto me, maybe because I was the only one who seemed to care about her well-being and showered her with love.

The final phone call from Tonya was about Brittany running away from home. Apparently, she had left a note that she just needed a break from everything and for her mom not to worry. Tonya asked me what to do. I told her to start checking the caller I.D. and find out where she went. She called me back ten minutes later and said she found out that Britt was at a hotel nearby with a couple of teenage boys. She was crying and very upset. She kept saying she didn't know what to do and couldn't understand how this could be happening. I told Tonya to get into her car and drive to the hotel immediately and pick Britt up. Tonya asked, "What if she won't come with me?" I replied, "Then call the Police and make her". She called me later that night, relieved and thankful. I told her she should send her to me to live with me for a while. She agreed because she admitted she couldn't handle Brittany anymore.

Brittany arrived in New York via plane around April. Originally our plan was that she was going to stay two-three weeks for a break. I did a lot of praying and held many conversations with my husband at that time. (I was remarried so he didn't know Brittany until she came to N.Y.) Because the school systems are so very different here in comparison to those in Louisiana, I wanted Britt to see them for herself. I arranged for my husband's step-brothers to take Brittany with them to Alexander Central High School as a visitor for a day. She loved it and then asked me if she could visit Pavilion Central with my husband's cousin. A few days later, Britt asked me if she could move in with me.
There were many rules for Brittany while I took her under my wing. The most important rule was absolutely no drugs at any time. She was also a smoker (cigarettes) because her mother would buy them for her; that had to stop also. I explained to her that my children looked up to her and she was now a role model and to act like one. We came to an understanding that if at any time I found out she had used drugs while here, she would return to Louisiana and would not get a second chance. Brittany and I had a very long talk and I stressed to her the importance of communication and trust. I explained to her how she really hasn't been a kid in a long time and that it's okay to be a kid and have fun just as long as it's "good" fun.

It didn't happen overnight, but eventually Brittany's whole persona changed. Her "hoochie" clothes changed to "trendy" clothes. She quit drinking, smoking, and drugs and actually started talking like a young lady instead of a "thug". She became a cheerleader at Pavilion Central and her grades went from D's and F's to A's and B's. She started having fun like "normal" teenagers her age. She went to the drive-in for the first time in her life, went shopping at the mall, and went to the movies, soccer games and dances.

In August of 2005, Britt flew back to Louisiana for a 30 day visit to her mom's prior to school starting up again in the fall. I was shocked, perplexed, hurt, angry and sad when her mom called and told me that Brittany didn't want to come back, that she wanted to stay in Louisiana and be with her family. Oh, I understood that she missed her family but I felt like she was throwing away her life after I had believed in her, supported her mentally, monetarily, and emotionally for the last year and a half. I had come to love Britt as my own daughter. I had defended her against the Superintendent at Wyoming when I tried to enroll her at school and he didn't want to let her come in to be "tuitioned" out. He told me, "Statistics say that while, what you are trying to do is noble, it won't last, she will return to her old habits and return home and so I find no need to waste the taxpayer's money in sending her to Pavilion." I think I saw red at that moment. I stood up out of my chair and raised my voice at him and said, "She is not a statistic, her name is Brittany Nicole Perez. She was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. She has seen and done more things in her life than you and she is damn well street-smart. If I don't believe in her, who will? If you do not let her attend school, then I will fight you and the board of education all the way to Supreme Court if need be."

I did all of this because I believed in her. I believed that she could change with the right environment and support. What I didn't factor in was that her mother would be calling her begging her to come home; bribing her by telling her that she would buy her a car and that she bought an old camper and it could be Britt's "apartment" in the backyard. Her mother gave her a "Welcome Home" present when she got to Louisiana; a bag of weed. How could I compete with that? I could not give her the freedom that her mother would because I cared too much.

Brittany has been gone now for 3 months and I feel a void in my home and in my heart. I worry about her; where she will be in 3 months, 3 years, will she be pregnant, addicted, a high school drop-out, or worse; dead. I can only pray that somewhere within Brittany's heart, I have planted a seed. A seed that one day will help her.

Works Cited

Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin. "Angels and Devils." Community Care Feb. 2003:22. Info Trac OneFile. Gale Group. Genesee Com. Coll. Lib., N.Y. 16 Oct. 2005 .
"FCL Research Page." Boot Camps for Juvenile Offenders: Why Do They Have Such Poor Outcomes? What are Better Alternatives to Boot Camps? 16 Oct. 2005 .
Scott, Terrance M.; Nelson, C. Michael; Liaupsin, Carl J.; Jolivette, Kristine; Christle, Christine A.; Riney, Mackenzie. "Addressing the Needs of at-risk and Adjudicated Youth Through Positive Behavior Support: Effective Prevention Practices." Education & Treatment of Children 25.4 (2002):532+. Info Trac OneFile. Gale Group. Genesee Com. Coll. Lib., N.Y. 16 Oct. 2005 .

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