Violence, our culture and apathy

Dear Editor,

 Instead of attracting lawyers and constructing new court buildings and moving toward private prisons ... how about attracting and recruiting New Zealand and Aussie based Samoan students and professionals who have degrees in psychology. 

Set up a preventative system where there is active counseling NOT when the kids misbehave but as part of the required curriculum like Maths and English. 

In more developed countries this has been overlooked and the private prisons and criminal justice systems play together to create an ungodly revolving door system that creates wealth for the system and bankrupts society because of gutless lack of conviction and morality. 

Surely since our motto indicates we aren’t immoral and our customs demand and teach respect ... instead of reinventing the wheel… how about being pro active and plan for the inevitable (as evidenced recently) dysfunction resulting not just from social media and troubled single parented or dysfunctional families but just plain ignorance! 

Offer class work addressing domestic violence, anger management etc... topics that are critical to dissuade our children from repeating the learned and accepted behavior of those who have gone before.... let them understand civility begins with how we treat our siblings and each other as family members ...BEFORE ......drastically having to detain, arrest, convict , imprison , release and then watch 60-80% recidivism rate. 

This system has been tried and does not work. 

The new Police Commissioner is one person who absolutely understands that issue and who is uniquely qualified to speak in favor of less Police action and much, much more free and directed counseling, perhaps even at primary school level.

It’s in our early development apparently where this self-destructive behavior begins. We have the best culture on earth and our youth have the potential to exceed their humble beginnings on every level ... they deserve our best effort as adults to address the unspeakable truth...its our apathy that has fueled their dysfunction. Ia filemu Samoa.

Kiwi Lelei

Samoa Observer

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