You can see by the photo in this posting that what is in our environment sends a message to young people. This photo shows the kind of messages we send to them around alcohol use - it's fun - it's ok to drink and race or bike - and everyone's doing this! In fact it's a big business. These are not very helpful messages.One of the important aspects of a stragegic plan that is hoping to change youth behaviors must begin to look at these messages and figure out how communities, shcools and providers can sell healthier imges to our youth both around alcohol use and high risk, law breaking behaviors. Many times substance abuse and law breaking go together.
As the Juvenile Justice Project moves forward towards a goal of reducing court petitions for youth working to change the environment and messages youth receive are important.
Here are some helpful messages that reduce risk taking:
- Adult(s) care about you and your well being and you are special to at least one adult in your life. (Mentoring)
- There are people who are working together to make your life and the life in your community better. (Coalition Building)
- It's better not to break the law but rather to live a healthy lifestyle. (Community Support Programs)
- Abusing substances can lead to breaking the law by causing you to act in harmful ways and/or not consider the consequences of what you do. (Education)
- There will be consequences to everything you do so learn about consequences and avoid those choices that lead to negative consequences. (Strong enforcement of the law)
- People in your community care enough about you to get together and work with you and your parents on helping you make amends for what wrong doing occured. (Court Diversion)
These are some of the "good' messages the JJP wants to send.
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