'By All Means, Do Something.'

We reported back-to-back stories today: Pottstown Police End String Of Alleged Armed Robberies followed by Royal Rangers Provide Place for Pottstown Boys.

 The first report included breaking news of two young males allegedly involved in a string of armed robberies at area convenience stores. 

“The male came behind the counter pointing the large knife at the clerk and said, ‘Give me the money.’ The clerk turned over an undisclosed amount of money (to) the actor. The actor fled the store on foot,” a police department press release states.

The second story featured Pottstown’s local branch of Royal Rangers.

As reported by Pottstown Patch Correspondent Brian Zarley, Jonathan Kemner leads Royal Rangers Outpost No. 204. Kemner founded the local branch -- of the national boy's organization -- roughly six years ago at Pottstown's Calvary Christian Center, 426 Laurelwood Drive.

"Royal Rangers is a boy's group that focuses on helping boys develop . . . the four ways a boy grows, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially," Kemner says in the report. "If a boy grows physically but is not developing mentally, there's obvious issues there."

Although the stories ran according to timing, not subject matter, the contrast was sobering.

Some folks -- at first glance of the suspects’ mugshots -- might find it easy to write-off these two young men as thugs who deserve to be tried and punished.

The justice system will make that call.

On the other hand, Kemner recognizes the need for early intervention, to take a proactive approach and build a support network that raises boys to grow into healthy, responsible, moral men.

Without knowing backgrounds involved, it’s fair to question whether the two alleged robbers would be different men today had they been part of a program such as Royal Rangers when they were kids. Numerous national and state agencies offer statistics to back up such an idea.

No doubt, some of you are thinking, “Tell that to a guy who was trying to earn an honest dollar while some punk stuck a knife in his face.”

Fair enough. 

But what will we do to prevent future crime? Statistics show the number of kids headed for crime is staggering compared to the handful of Jonathan Kemner’s out there trying to make a positive difference.  

Think about that for a moment.

Here’s what the Governor’s Commission For Children & Families website states on the matter:

"Violent youth crime is a persistent problem in Pennsylvania. Although substantially less than in the mid 1990s, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) reports that there has been a recent rise of 10 percent from 2001 to 2005. The increase is alarming. 

In general schools are safer than the communities in which they sit but they are not safe. Youth violence in schools continues to be a serious issue. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education annual School Safety Report for 2005-06, the number of reported incidents involving law enforcement increased 12 percent, the number of fights increased 68 percent, and bullying incidents increased 32 percent, but there were also marked decreases in assaults on students and staff and reported sexual offenses . . . 

By listening to youth leaders, we know that they want action from government leaders and other adult leaders of school, business and civic sectors. In many different ways and surveys the youth tell us to: 

(1) Get the guns out of our schools and neighborhoods; 

(2) Enforce the laws; 

(3) Provide meaningful after-school activities; 

(4) Help us get good paying jobs/careers; and 

(5) By all means, do something. We need your help."

Think about that.