I'm a recent graduate of a science degree in psychology and am currently a social work student in Canada. I've done extensive work with both the elderly and youth at risk that were seen on todays show. I've stood and experienced alot of the "whats behind the crime". Moreover as a young adult I've had many an older adult approach me in the street to tell me exactly "how my generation has respect for nothing".
I have to say that most time I disagree with this show and most times it makes my insides hurt. However, today I agree fully with the last segment of this show. I agree with many of the points said from all three people.
There are mountains of research telling us how corporal punishment as seen in todays show does not work. Its important to remember that controlling as well as permissive parenting results in poor behaviour from youth. Corporal punishment fosters the disrespectful behaviour seen in today's show. As adults we need to do better. Youth model what they see and unfortunately the media both sensationalizes and dramatizes youth crime without providing the background information. Many of the youth we see in the news have had less then optimal upbringings. Furthermore the crimes we see are often the symtoms of this upbringing. For this reason I do agree with the women who said it is so important to take into account what is behind the crime. I do relieze that not everyone who is brought up in less then optimal circumstances commits crimes, however it is safe to say that those who do not have had a buffer such as access to education or social support elsewhere. I believe that if society took a look at the parents and our culture we would find we all have a lack of respect for people.
Prison and incarceration benefits no one. The current system is dysfunctional in many ways. The government money invested in both Canada and the States is invested in a reactive manner. The problem with this is that we will run out of resources before we ever solve anything. We need to look at reinvesting the funds in a proactive manner. This judge that was on the show (while I disagree with some of the punishments for the same reason the woman disagreed) needs to be applauded. While his punishments are handed down in a reactive manner they are proactive in nature.
Furthermore we need to relieze that as a society we are all responsible for each other. It cannot strictly be the "parents fault". We need to consider the support and the circumstances of many families living in North America. As a society we are extremely punitive in nature. Being punitive does not allow the person to learn from their crime or see the impact or it. This is another reason why I believe and advocate for restorative and creative justice. We are very quick to point fingers and throw our hands up. The reality is however is that this becomes cyclic in nature. We must work together to support our youth and parents and to intervene much earlier then we are.
We must begin to move away from corporal punishment and a punitive justice system. We must begin to be proactive in nature. Educate our parents, allow our youth a real voice in their communities and actually take their opinions into account and provide the resources and support to the people living in our communities as well as the ACCESS to these supports. We must begin rasing our children in the manner outlined in the UN Convention on the rights of the child. In other words we must raise our children with respect to their rights and in a fashion that does not violate their rights. Educate them in their rights, raise them in this manner and they will learn how to be responsible leaders. And as a spin off reseach shows there are many spin offs to this....such as a decline in bullying which has gained recent media attention. Educate yourselfs in the rights of the child. Gain new prospectives.
I believe when youth grow up in households were corporal punishment is a constant and in communities where they hear and are generalized as being irresponisble and disrespectful and have no participation rights or a voice we are contributing and fostering the problem. We run the risk of a enabling youth to fulfill a self-fulfilling prophecy. If thats all they hear and all they ever see.....it is what they will become.
Please lets stop hitting our kids. Show respect for everyone and you will get respect in return. Raise your children so that they know they have rights, know what they are and make sure their rights are not violated.
As a society we know its wrong to treat WOMEN as PROPERTY....To treat individuals of a different race or religion as PROPERTY. Why is it ok to treat our CHILDREN as PROPERTY.
So bravo to Dr. Phil for advocating for a less punitive society.
A Concerned Canadian Young Adult.
(Original Air Date: 04/18/07) Fistfights in the living room, black eyes, stitches, a father punching a 17-year-old, a mother wrestling a 15-year-old to the floor … What do you do when you have no control over your teenager? Parents face off against teens in what Dr. Phil calls “one of the most disgusting displays of bad behavior on both sides that I have seen in years.” Brenda and Jim are constantly at war with Brenda’s three sons, Koltin, 17; and twins Austin and Dustin, 15. They say the teens have punched holes in the walls, physically attacked their stepfather and left home for days at a time! Brenda and Jim disagree on how to discipline their out-of-control teens and are even headed toward divorce because of it. How can they save the boys and their marriage? Then, meet a judge who believes creative punishments have the most impact. Judge Cicconetti doles out punishments that cause embarrassment and teach a lesson, such as making a teenager who stole a pornographic video sit blindfolded outside the store with a sign that reads “See no evil.” Opponents say creative punishments are abusive and cause more harm than good. What does Dr. Phil think? Join the discussion.
