Good on Stephen Harper. Like political minds tend to circle the wagons around issues, but this is a concern that, like mental health, is bigger than partisanship.
There are multiple fronts that need to be pursued. Identity is one; when you feel accountable to something larger than yourself, you tend to self-regulate a bit more. Education is another; youth need training that meets their learning styles, but also teaches them to be flexible. At any rate, it's hard to learn when you're worried about getting shot.
The other side to keeping kids away from crime, though, isn't just providing alternatives - it's about steering them towards success. This is within the realm of the possible; you really can teach resiliency and practical social skills like financial literacy, networking, social emotional learning, critical thinking, planning, etc. Not everyone will be a whiz, but with the right level of exposure and encouragement, everyone can find a niche that works for them while allowing them to be contributing parts of society.
I keep turning back to martial arts training I've received over the years. Failure wasn't an option because failure meant quitting on the part of the student, the teacher, the family and the community (school). Falling was inevitable, but as we all know, the reason we fall is to learn how to pick ourselves back up. The best teachers I have ever had were the ones that were relentless, patient and consistent, making praise something to be earned rather than expected and always pushing me to crystallize my skill a little bit more. Those lucky of us to have had teachers or mentors like that over the years love them for teaching us that excellence is a pursuit, not a benchmark.
The fundamentals of this style of training can be applied in our schools. It starts with empowerment, flows through achievement, and keeps on giving with success and resiliency.
It's within the realm of the possible - we just need to commit ourselves fully.
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