“What’s wrong?” I probed. Ray was in one of his gloomy moods
“I can’t put my finger on it.” He said, “Where does it all start?”
“What are you muttering about?”
“We both know that destructive criminal gangs and juvenile delinquency can be reduced with good guidance. The earlier in the person’s life the better. We know some people out of jail can return to sound civilian life if there is help along the way. We also know that with others there may be no hope. Their criminal entrenched behavior will overcome all others, but where does it all start? Where to place our efforts for a better return?”
“A better return?” I hesitated to talk to him in those dark moments
“Yes. You once said that somewhere in their youth each kid began to make the decision to do good or bad, or worst to do evil. Be one pivotal experience or hosts of smaller incidents influenced by peers, adults, teachers, movies, videos, whatever, may end in incarceration...”
“Are you been too pessimistic? What about parents?” but now and then…
“There you go! The most critical and at the very beginning.”
“Are you sure?” …he would come up with a unique observation
“Maybe. I think parents are the most critical pivot in young person’s life, and education is next; I don’t care what others think. This makes me conclude that with two positive parents, decent education, motivation, and learning to follow a positive drive, much of the criminal destructive behavior would be curtailed.”
“So, there’s your answer. There’s where it starts.”
“Ah Ha! That is the crux of the problem! How do you get parents to be good parents? Must follow the circle back to their earlier youth and their previous parents?”
“So, where in the circular age-band is the most effective point of entry? Where would you insert time and money for best return in your efforts?
We both thought in silence for the longest time, and then we said simultaneously, “everywhere.”
After three heartbeats, Ray went on to say, “However, culture plays a part, and the strongest point is also the weakest one. If you protect the relationship of both parents, you strengthen the culture, if not, you sabotage the culture.”