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Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff |
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Some Teens Fearful of Aiding Police
Produced by City Room on Friday, October 09, 2009
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So far four young people have been charged in the death of Fenger honor student Derrion Albert. But police and community leaders have said that some young people know the names of other kids involved in the deadly assault.
At a youth-led Town Hall meeting last night in the far South Side Roseland neighborhood, 19-year-old moderator Aisha Latiker talked about the reasons some kids maintain a code of silence, "If you know something's goin' on between gangs or whatever … or you've just seen something happen--if you go snitch on a person or tell--then your life may be in danger.. But then the other side--if you do snitch … you may be savin' somebody's life, you know?"
The Roseland Safety Net Works Coalition gathered about 150 youth together for the meeting, which took place just down the block from where Albert was killed. Kids threw out ideas about how to reduce violence in their streets and neighborhood. Latiker suggested that young people could text a tip to police saying where a fight would occur, but not who is to be involved. “That’s not snitchin’” she says.
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Shaan on the Southside, Bronzeville // Friday, October 09, 2009 @ 11:36 AM
This is a horrible story and a weak, teenage rationale that shouldn't have been aired on NPR. Derrion's death had nothing to do with gangs, so the likelihood of retaliation or vengeance is lessened or non-existing at best. In the hardest 'hoods and among the gansta-est people, we have disffusion of resposibility and mob mentality. Something that will likely occur in the calmest neighborhoods (ie, domestic violence in the suburbs). Instead of acknowledging a social phenomenon that every community suffers from, your report and the reporter protrays the African American community as being unsafe, insecure, ruthless, and untame. Teenagers lack credibility, and are innately hyper-reactive and exaggerative. You should have asked how many people she knows who have been victims of retaliation from snitching! Fact is, none of these kids want to be in the eye of the world as being evil, guilty, inhumane, and murderous which will be the case if they step forward and confess.
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jack black, southside // Friday, October 09, 2009 @ 12:09 PM
Most african american places are un safe. stop being in denial on the situation. you cant even walk down the street. I was comming home from work and me and a friend was walking and these guys looked all in this other guys face taunting him and everything the guy was scared you can tell. and i see that all day long. maybe it didnt have nothing to do with a gang but our black hoods are not safe at all.
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Mike Sloothaak, West Lafayette, Indiana // Friday, October 09, 2009 @ 3:04 PM
"Teenagers lack credibility, and are innately hyper-reactive and exaggerative."
Please don't fdecry bigotry against one group with bigotry against another group.
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Ms. AM, Southwest Side // Saturday, October 10, 2009 @ 11:02 AM
It does not have to be "gang related" in order for there to be fear of retaliation. If you report something you about someone who lives in your community, you can absoutely become the target of retaliation. Retaliation can come from people as high up as the mob, politicians, etc. Why do you think there is the witness protection program and witness tampering? Instead of pointing fingers at people, and saying that people have a "dont snitch" mentality, why not try and see things from another point of view? I am 32 years old and am sometimes afraid to report crime in my community. When I have reported shootings to 911 the police have come right to my front door. Do you think I feel safe as a single woman attracting this much attention to my home for cooporating with police? Now imagine what a teen must feel like? I know people who have been relentlessly harassed by friends and family of the perpetrator for reporting crimes.
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vanessa mcdonald, westside garfield neighborhood // Sunday, October 11, 2009 @ 7:36 PM
The chicago police and mayor daley needs to start finding the children that drop out of school and tell them and monitor what they are doing if they are not going to school. They might not have to go to school but they need to be doing more than hang out wastening their lives and getting into trouble.
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concerned parent, Skokie // Friday, October 16, 2009 @ 12:06 PM
I disagree with Vanessa. The parents of those children need to be monitoring their whereabouts. It all starts in the home.
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