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Did grief spark auto thefts?

Counsellor says teen's homicide may have prompted pals to steal again

By: Shelley Cook

26/12/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 95

THE recent spike in auto thefts in Winnipeg may be connected with the tragic death of the city's 26th homicide victim of the year, Jessie McKenzie.

Liz Wolfe, program manager for the Empowering Justice program at New Directions, said McKenzie was a well-loved friend of many of the boys in her program, including Level-4 auto offenders.

The 17-year-old was fatally stabbed in a Main Street bus shelter on Dec. 5 after apparently trying to intervene in a domestic dispute.

Wolfe said many of the boys, ranging in age from 15 to 19, didn't know how to react to McKenzie's sudden and violent death.

"The level of hurt and anger, I believe, (pushed) many of them to regress back to car theft," she said, explaining that most of the teens in her program have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Wolfe said people with FASD can be highly reactive and impulsive and have a tough time understanding cause and effect.

Case workers of the Empowering Justice program work closely with the boys, their parole officers and Winnipeg police, Wolfe said, noting the program has had a high success rate.

People need to understand that FASD is a disability that these kids have had since birth -- and cannot control, Wolfe said.

Some kids with FASD become vulnerable to gang activity, especially if they don't have a strong family unit.

"A lot of needs are met in ways like that," said Wolfe, referring to a gang lifestyle. "They learn how to steal cars from older brothers or gang members, and it's something that gives them a sense of mastery."

Wolfe said that for Level-4 auto offenders who have FASD, having any skill -- even stealing cars -- is sometimes the only thing they've got. Although Wolfe believes some of the people committing recent auto thefts are acting out their grief over their friend, she is hopeful she and her team can help these kids find better outlets for their despair. "We can't, as a city, just toss these kids in jail," she said. "It can't end there."

Wolfe would not discuss specific cases, but a stolen Hummer was involved in an accident that killed a Winnipeg man on Dec. 11, and teens in a stolen car led police on a high-speed chase Dec. 21.

shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 26, 2009 B1

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95 Commentscomment icon

"especially if they don't have a strong family unit." ?????? Uh isn't the weak family unit the reason they have FASD in the first place? If your mother drinks while she's pregnant what makes you think she'll care about you after you're born?

SPB... to what percentage of people with FASD does your statement: "...FASD prevents people from understanding the causal nature of their actions..." apply? I work with FASD people, and my understanding is that the symptoms and manifestations are so general and all encompassing that your specific analysis may not apply to most with FASD. Is there a direct correlation?

I don't have "the" answer, so until I do, I advocate a middle-of-the-road approach, with access to ALL tools in the toolbox. However continuing to apply a technique that has been demonstrated to be ineffective is somethng that I see 'way too much of.

I am shocked at the lack of empathy that Winipeggers exert towards others. Yes, these children need to pay for their crimes. But locking them up and throwing away the key will not work. Maybe we should give murderers the death sentence like in the States, then crime rates will decrease. Oh wait, they're exponentially higher down south than they are here! How about California's 3 strikes law.. Yeah, that's not really working either.

So all of you "policy analysts" who are commenting need to suggest some realistic, progressive ideas for these kids instead of just throwing away the key. How about going back to the root of this problem - poor parenting and weak community ties. Let's get nurses and social workers making home visits and teaching these at-risk women the fragility of the pregnancy period as well as the importance of mother-child bonding.

Lobotomy, segregation, "locking them up and throwing away the key"? Get real. I want to read some intelligent input.

B....you clearly have no understanding as to what FASD is...'old fashioned' methods would simply do nothing and have no effect on these people's behavior. Among other things, FASD prevents people from understanding the causal nature of their actions, so they have no way of predicting bad results from bad actions. That's why I advocate institutionalization over catch and release.

I could care less what these &*$#'n car thieves feelings are! They can shut the heck up! Nobody cares!

"Wah! My friend died so my friends and I have every right to commit crimes"! Enough of these pathetic excuses already!

Isn't it any wonder why we are seeing more & more kids commiting more & more severe crimes? It's thanks to those idiots whom are stupid & naive enough to make excuses for these kid-criminals; Parents, Government, this joke that's called our "Justice System", this stupid belief that these kids "don't know what they do", blaming of video games, movies, music, tv, etc!

Here's what should be done;
1. Publish NAMES & PICTURES of these teenaged terrorists.
2. Drop the the useless YCJA becuase it's obviously useless!
3. Commit The Crime, no matter what age that criminal is, they DO THE TIME!

It's time to get back to basics and what most people call "old fashioned" teachings in Respect, Responsibility & Consequences for Actions!

I recall a time in history where they used to lobotomize "the insane." Methinks it's time for old methods on a new group. Those that can't be rehabilitated and are a threat to everyone they encounter need to be, well, turned into a calm, serene bunch who couldn't muster the brain power to hurt a fly. All gang-members, FASD kids like these ones (not the ones who aren't killing people for funzies) and Liz Wolfe, because I don't think she can be rehabilitated either.

Aren't Laughing Girl's parents "professionals" like Liz Wolfe??

Explains alot.

If the car theives who did steal the vehicles mentioned were in fact FAS, that would account for lenient sentences from a psychological/medical perspective. What these people need though, is institutionalization, not to be free and work it out for themselves. FAS is not something that just goes away.

From someone who is directly involved with these Level 4 auto thieves, they ALL know exactly what they're doing. The devil didn't make them do it, they just enjoy the life of crime. Lazy and stupid isn't a legal defense. Liz Wolfe is making excuses for these "poor misguided children" but she is totally out to lunch. The danger is the innocent people pay with their lives.

The 'laughing gir' removed her GPS device multiple times? IMPLANT THE BLOODY GPS DEVICES IN THESE CRIMINALS. Although they'd likely just cut it out of their own bodies. Funny(not), if one of these punks killed a police officer? Yah: they'd be in the slammer. But I guess the rest of us folks don't matter.

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