Singapore: A slew of measures will be introduced to help at-risk youths stay away from crime and gangs.
The comprehensive set of measures addresses youths at different stages of their involvement with gangs.
The initiatives were
announced today by Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign
Affairs Masagos Zulkifli at a security conference.
Mr Masagos is also the head of the working group on recommendations to deal with youth gangs.
Among
the measures, a move to enhance "streetwise programme", a voluntary
programme for youths associated with, or who are members of secret
societies and gangs.
The programme will be enhanced to be a
pre-court diversionary programme for youths who are arrested for gang
membership or gang-related offences such as rioting.
This means that youths who complete the programme successfully could be let off with a warning in lieu of court prosecution.
The
enhanced programme will include additional conditions such as physical
reporting to police and close monitoring of attendance at school or
work.
Anti-gang programmes in correctional institutes will also be improved.
The
Singapore Boys Home regime will also be enhanced through the
implementation of a standardised orientation programme for new residents
upon admission.
A period of community supervision on youths who
are assessed to be more likely to join gangs upon their release will
also be imposed.
The working group also recommended enhancing existing anti-gang legislation.
Persons who recruit youths to join gangs will also face stiffer penalties.
Police
and the court could also be given a greater range of powers to deal
with youth gangs, including directing premise owners to take reasonable
steps to prevent gang activities from taking place within his premises.
As
part of structural measures, police will also be forming a youth
offenders unit to formulate protocols on dealing with youth offenders
and to build capacity to deal with youths and youth crime.
Recognising
the importance families play in the lives of young offenders, the
authorities will involve parents in the various intervention programmes
for youths.
The working group recommendations will be implemented next year.
- CNA/sf
i recommend another device called SPY BENG or SPY LIAN...disguised as an ah beng and join the gang....and crushed the leaders....since we r recruiting more young officers....do employ those ah beng and ah lians for the job...
Wonder why they didn't think of this earlier.....anyway, these measures are merely addressing the symptoms. Their issues are more complex in the sense that family earning power and stress and demands of society, together with the high cost of living are also factors.
æ²»æ ‡ä¸�治本
ç»™ä½ è¯´ä¸äº†ã€‚