By P. Berman, K. Hecht & A. Hosack
They are having such a good time. I hate to interrupt. But that little boy matches the description of who I am looking for!
Officer Fernandez had been watching Claire, Davy, and Kevin as they ate their snack underneath the tree. In some ways, they just seemed liked a carefree group. However, only Davy really seemed carefree. Something seemed to be on the woman’s mind, she looked so serious. And, one little boy was dominating the conversation while the other, who kept giving her covert looks, seemed to be trying to sink into the ground at the base of the tree.
As Officer Fernandez walked closer to the tree, she noticed Kevin looked everywhere but at her. “Good morning ma’am,” Officer Fernandez said to Claire. “It looks like you and your boys are having a real feast,” she said. “Yes, it is so good,” Davy said through a mouth full of chocolate cake. “Did you bring it all,” the officer asked. Looking serious, Claire said, “no officer, I brought the sandwiches, the apples and the carrots. Kevin brought the chocolate milk and cupcakes from his mother.” “Which one of you lucky little boys has the mom who sent the cupcakes?” The officer said. “It’s him,” Davy said pointing at Kevin. “He is going to introduce us to his mommy later when she gets back from running errands.”
“I would really like to meet Kevin’s mommy right away. Ma’am, do you have a way of getting in touch with her now?” Officer Fernandez asked. Claire looked anxiously between the two boys. “No ma’am, Kevin is a new friend to my son Davy. Today will be the first day I’ll meet his mommy,” Claire said anxiously. In her heart of hearts, she didn’t think she was going to be meeting Kevin’s mother. The officer showing up had increased her fears that Kevin might not have been given the food by his family. doubts.
Something isn’t adding up here. I don’t like the look on that kid’s face. Something is wrong.
“Kevin, can you tell me how I might get in touch with your mommy now?” the officer said. Kevin looked scared. He grabbed Claire’s hand and said, “I don’t know where she is right now. Please don’t leave me with the police. I don’t know how to talk to police.” Claire patted Kevin’s hand and said, “of course I won’t leave you Kevin until we find your mommy. Kids need to stay with a grown-up.”
No. No. No. What should I do. I’m scared!
Kevin didn’t want to go looking for his mommy. Maybe they would find her. “Just take me to jail. Please don’t take me home,” Kevin said desperately. “Why would I take you to jail?” the officer asked Kevin. Covered now in sweat and should trying to shrink into the ground he said, “my mommy didn’t give me the chocolate milk and the cupcakes. I just took them from the store around the corner. Just take me to jail but please don’t take me home,” Kevin said. Davy was shocked. “I was afraid you were a bad friend but I hoped you weren’t.” “What do you mean Davy? What have I ever done to hurt you?” “You gave me stolen food to eat,” Davy said sadly.
As Officer Fernandez walked closer to the tree, she noticed Kevin looked everywhere but at her. “Good morning ma’am,” Officer Fernandez said to Claire. “It looks like you and your boys are having a real feast,” she said. “Yes, it is so good,” Davy said through a mouth full of chocolate cake. “Did you bring it all,” the officer asked. Looking serious, Claire said, “no officer, I brought the sandwiches, the apples and the carrots. Kevin brought the chocolate milk and cupcakes from his mother.” “Which one of you lucky little boys has the mom who sent the cupcakes?” The officer said. “It’s him,” Davy said pointing at Kevin. “He is going to introduce us to his mommy later when she gets back from running errands.”
“I would really like to meet Kevin’s mommy right away. Ma’am, do you have a way of getting in touch with her now?” Officer Fernandez asked. Claire looked anxiously between the two boys. “No ma’am, Kevin is a new friend to my son Davy. Today will be the first day I’ll meet his mommy,” Claire said anxiously. In her heart of hearts, she didn’t think she was going to be meeting Kevin’s mother. The officer showing up had increased her fears that Kevin might not have been given the food by his family. doubts.
Something isn’t adding up here. I don’t like the look on that kid’s face. Something is wrong.
“Kevin, can you tell me how I might get in touch with your mommy now?” the officer said. Kevin looked scared. He grabbed Claire’s hand and said, “I don’t know where she is right now. Please don’t leave me with the police. I don’t know how to talk to police.” Claire patted Kevin’s hand and said, “of course I won’t leave you Kevin until we find your mommy. Kids need to stay with a grown-up.”
No. No. No. What should I do. I’m scared!
Kevin didn’t want to go looking for his mommy. Maybe they would find her. “Just take me to jail. Please don’t take me home,” Kevin said desperately. “Why would I take you to jail?” the officer asked Kevin. Covered now in sweat and should trying to shrink into the ground he said, “my mommy didn’t give me the chocolate milk and the cupcakes. I just took them from the store around the corner. Just take me to jail but please don’t take me home,” Kevin said. Davy was shocked. “I was afraid you were a bad friend but I hoped you weren’t.” “What do you mean Davy? What have I ever done to hurt you?” “You gave me stolen food to eat,” Davy said sadly.
I have to run. I can’t go home.
Kevin didn’t trust police officer. He had tried trusting Claire, but grownups could not be trusted; Davy was stupid to trust his mom. Kevin jumped up and sprinted across the park and into the trees. The officer took off after him, but Claire called out, “when you catch him, please bring him back here first. He shouldn’t go alone to the police station. He should have a mommy with him even if it’s not the right mommy.”
Would the police officer listen?
Claire was worried. Kevin might not have done anything wrong. Or, he might have stolen that food. Whatever was closer to the truth, he still needed an adult looking out for him. Would Officer Fernandez bring him back? Davy broke into Claire’s thoughts with, “Kevin was fast. Do you think the police officer will find him?” Claire hugged Davy close and said, “don’t worry Davy. I know this is scary. But Kevin needs help. If the police officer doesn’t bring him back here, we will go to the nearest station and ask if Kevin has been brought there.”
Davy looked up at his mom and said, “we care about him because he’s a friend, even though he might be a bad friend right mommy?” “We care Davy because he’s a child, and grown-ups need to look after children.” Davy smiled up at his mommy, “you are a good mommy, you will look out for Kevin even if he stole those yummy cupcakes.” Claire began to pack up their belongings so they would be ready if Officer Fernandez came back, “yes, Davy, we will look out for Kevin.”
Should Claire leave Kevin to Officer Fernandez? Does it matter if he stole that food or not?
When crimes are committed, do you believe we deter future crimes by using a punishment model? If so, Kevin needs to be punished for stealing, even if he stole because he was hungry. Would we deter more crime if we taught Kevin to be honest and respect the property of others, even when he is hungry?
Under which model do you think Kevin would be more likely to fear a police officer?
“The National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) is a non-profit, membership driven organization that provides a support system for educators, practitioners and others interested in restorative and community justice. The primary means to fulfill this purpose are educational and carried out through the biannual National Conference on Community and Restorative Justice, networking tools, resources available on its accessible website and a bi-monthly publication the “Restorative Well”. The NACRJ uses principles of social and restorative justice to assist educators, practitioners and others to seek transformation in the ways harm and justice questions within the United States are addressed through prevention, repair and healing. The Association promotes effective responses to conflict, incivility, crime and injustice that are equitable, sustainable, socially constructive and prevention oriented.
To learn more about different models for ending juvenile crime and how well they work consider going to the NACRJ website:
https://www.nacrj.org/index.ph...d=64&Itemid=1010
This blog tells the fictional story of Claire and her son Davy; it will give you a window into Claire’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior. The people in this blog were created by Dr. Pearl Berman based on her thirty years of experience in the field of child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and exploitation. If there are any similarities between the people discussed in the blog, and actual people who are living or deceased this is coincidental. To catch up on old posts or start from the beginning you can find Claire's Story at https://pearlsberman.com/blog
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