Police describe the run-down public housing complex as a high-crime area. Mr. Bird and others who live here say gangs of children roam the neighbourhood unsupervised in the evenings. The 12-year-olds encourage the younger ones to fight each other for entertainment, Mr. Bird said. Children as young as 7 or 8 can be seen smoking and drinking beer in the evening, he added. Arson is a regular occurrence.
The problem is that too many parents ignore their children, Mr. Bird said. Most families are on government assistance, and drug and alcohol abuse are rife.
Mr. Bird said he's disgusted that the children responsible for Brian's ordeal won't face judicial sanction. Since they are all younger than 12, they can't be charged with a crime under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Instead, they will be referred to programs to alter the behaviour of young people in trouble with the law.
the parents of these children should be charged with child neglect!
:mad:
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