Volume 6 Number 3
May 1967

David M. Brady, Sr.

David M. Brady, Sr., is Assessment Officer of the
VISTA Training Project at Arizona State University, Tempe.

JUVENILE delinquency is a barometer that clearly indicates the characteristics of any society, regardless of racial inheritance. People are not bad. They are made what they are through interaction with their universe.

In today’s rapidly changing world, Indians find themselves constantly and incessantly being surrounded by non-Indians. Indian population growth is forcing drastic changes due to economic problems that at present, are remedied only by off reservation work. Such contact could be good in terms of offering viable opportunities for a better life-style. Often, however, such contact has brought many serious behavior problems with it. Old and tried methods of dealing with youngsters and life stress fail because the learning of new behavior has taken root. School, cars, drinking, sniffing, gangs, etc., all crop up as either cause, effect, or answer, depending on whose view you take.

As can be surmised, it is this author’s contention that too much emphasis has been made in separating out Indian problems as unique. Little research has been done to ferret out similarities of Indian problems with non-Indians. Human progress is not the result of pointing out differences, but rather, by establishing the commonality of various phenomenon of the universe. Let us look at ourselves in the same way. Let us admit we are subject to the same laws that created and sustain the universe.

Let us admit that juvenile delinquency exists due to observable laws of human behavior. Let us then operate on the premise that juvenile delinquency is not an isolated phenomenon but seems, rather, to be an integral part of the total fabric of our current society, of which, Indians are a part, for better or worse. In order to actively engage in the problem of juvenile delinquency, let us not fall into the trap of placing blame; this only increases the bitterness which dissolves into hopelessness which in turn puts off the search for the answers to another distant day. Let us not fall into the trap of saying, "It will take years and years so why hurry towards any solution?" (If it takes a hundred years for the flower to bloom, the quicker we plant it the quicker it blooms!) In order to seek means to aid in prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency, we must base our approach upon a broad multi-disciplined structure which is a result of comprehensive compulation of general data fitted to the specific group as a result of action research gathered in the local situation by agencies and people concerned.

It is imperative that the Indian home and community, along with the BIA, Public Health, and other agencies, private and public, stress the common goals and interests for the people concerned; health is better than sickness, peace of mind gained through knowledge is better than living in terror of the unknown, productivity is better than slovenliness,, etc. Each group must be helped to work out the solutions as they see best to obtain these people.

Everyone’s responsibility is clear-cut; give back the decision making to the people most directly concerned. There are limitless ways, many yet undreamed of, which will work to form a society with strong, dignified, happy, healthy people who depend upon their own decision making ability. A society is only as strong as the individuals in that society.

The world, hence our country, grows smaller daily. We influence each other increasingly, and as a consequence are affected by the change we have wrought on our neighbors. We, as humans, share com mon feelings, aspirations, and hopes for the future of our children, and thus, mankind, by the very fact of our survival to this point in time. Let us not be blinded by our differences, let us, instead, be aware we are subject to the same laws of the universe and use this knowledge to live in a world of our making that will allow for youthful energy to combine with the wisdom of age to blend into healthy, happy, constructive and dignified ways of life. Let us dedicate ourselves to the task at hand and examine ourselves honestly. Then let us specifically state what we would like to be. We shall be surprised at our similarities.