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Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Regarding Sally Specht's letter about the middle school children who set fire to the cat: I completely agree with her sentiments and I think we should all be pleased our community has such a compassionate woman working with our children.
I, too, would like to know what charges, if any, have been filed. Are these children receiving counseling? Have they been made accountable for their criminal actions? What about their parents? They have clearly and sadly failed in their roles. I don't believe children come into the world as cruel and malicious beings. One of the most important things we can teach our children from day one is compassion and respect for all life; that these young people have chosen to subject a sentient creature to unspeakable terror and pain suggests to me they must be learning their despicable behavior from somewhere, and I strongly suspect “somewhere” is home.
As a community, we most certainly should have been informed of this vicious act; indeed, it affects us all. Until recently, violence toward children, women and the elderly were considered unrelated to violent acts toward animals. Research now demonstrates those who perpetrate acts of cruelty against animals rarely stop there. It is a warning sign of future serious violent behavior, especially among young offenders. Consider these facts:
€ The FBI considers animal cruelty to be one of the predictors of violence and considers past animal abuse when profiling serial killers.
€ National and state studies determined from 54 to 71 percent of women seeking shelter reported their partners had threatened, injured or killed one or more family pets.
€ If children are victims of domestic violence they may in turn represent that abuse with an animal, the only being they feel they can control.
€ More than 80 percent of families being treated for child abuse were also involved in animal abuse. In 2/3 of the cases, the abusive parent killed or injured the pet. Sadly, in 1/3 of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.
€ A study in 1997 found 70 percent of all animal abusers have committed at least one other criminal offense and almost 40 percent had committed violent crimes against people. They also found over a 20-year period, a group of individuals who had abused animals as youths were five times more likely to commit violent crimes, four times more likely to commit property crimes and three times more likely to have drug or disorderly conduct offenses when compared to a matched group of non animal abusers.
If we pay attention to children who perform acts of cruelty on animals and take immediate action to stop their behavior, future crimes can be prevented and lives may be saved. Remember the school shootings which took place between 1997 and 2001? They contained a common element, prior to killing their classmates and teachers, all of the boys involved in these school shootings had performed acts of animal cruelty, including setting cats on fire. Ted Bundy, Albert DeSalvo, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Dennis Rader all abused animals before turning their anger toward humans.
Boys who torture and kill animals are not just “boys being boys” or “going through a phase.” Animal abuse is a serious warning sign. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once noted, “One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.” The results of doing little or nothing are chilling.
When acts of animal cruelty are known or suspected, they should be reported to the proper authorities, such as police, animal control or the humane society. In most instances, these officials have the authority to enforce state and local laws related to animal abuse. By early reporting suspicion of animal abuse by a youth, and providing appropriate punishment and treatment, the number of lives which could be saved is literally incalculable.
Sincerely, Debra Evans
Dear Editor:
I am writing this in the hope every parent who reads it, every parent who has a child with access to a computer, will take action.
If your child is home, go get him (or her). If he is asleep, wake him up. If he isn't home, wait for him, by the door, and grab him when he comes in. Physically take your child to the computer, sit him down, and make him log onto his MySpace account. If your child uses a computer, believe me, he has a MySpace account. Look at your child's profile page. Read the comments from his friends on the right side of the page. Click on the friends he has listed and read their profiles. Many of you will be surprised by what you find. If you don't know the first thing about a computer, make your child do it for you. Remember, you are the adult. If your child is hesitant to show you what is on his page or his friend's page, there's probably a reason.
My son has a MySpace page, and from day one, I have known his login and password information. I'm sure some of it is because of that fact, but I have to say I am very proud of how he conducts himself there. I must also say I thought I knew some of his friends, and I don't. I wasn't even close. However, because I was able to really see them through their pages and comments, I was able to nip those “friendships” in the bud. And I think I may have prevented some very bad things from happening to my son in the process.
Please, take a few minutes out of your day and do this with your child. Some of you will be pleasantly surprised and have another reason to be proud. Many of you will be shocked and horrified, but at least you will know.
Tressa Jennings
Regarding Sally Specht's letter about the middle school children who set fire to the cat: I completely agree with her sentiments and I think we should all be pleased our community has such a compassionate woman working with our children.
I, too, would like to know what charges, if any, have been filed. Are these children receiving counseling? Have they been made accountable for their criminal actions? What about their parents? They have clearly and sadly failed in their roles. I don't believe children come into the world as cruel and malicious beings. One of the most important things we can teach our children from day one is compassion and respect for all life; that these young people have chosen to subject a sentient creature to unspeakable terror and pain suggests to me they must be learning their despicable behavior from somewhere, and I strongly suspect “somewhere” is home.
As a community, we most certainly should have been informed of this vicious act; indeed, it affects us all. Until recently, violence toward children, women and the elderly were considered unrelated to violent acts toward animals. Research now demonstrates those who perpetrate acts of cruelty against animals rarely stop there. It is a warning sign of future serious violent behavior, especially among young offenders. Consider these facts:
€ The FBI considers animal cruelty to be one of the predictors of violence and considers past animal abuse when profiling serial killers.
€ National and state studies determined from 54 to 71 percent of women seeking shelter reported their partners had threatened, injured or killed one or more family pets.
€ If children are victims of domestic violence they may in turn represent that abuse with an animal, the only being they feel they can control.
€ More than 80 percent of families being treated for child abuse were also involved in animal abuse. In 2/3 of the cases, the abusive parent killed or injured the pet. Sadly, in 1/3 of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.
€ A study in 1997 found 70 percent of all animal abusers have committed at least one other criminal offense and almost 40 percent had committed violent crimes against people. They also found over a 20-year period, a group of individuals who had abused animals as youths were five times more likely to commit violent crimes, four times more likely to commit property crimes and three times more likely to have drug or disorderly conduct offenses when compared to a matched group of non animal abusers.
If we pay attention to children who perform acts of cruelty on animals and take immediate action to stop their behavior, future crimes can be prevented and lives may be saved. Remember the school shootings which took place between 1997 and 2001? They contained a common element, prior to killing their classmates and teachers, all of the boys involved in these school shootings had performed acts of animal cruelty, including setting cats on fire. Ted Bundy, Albert DeSalvo, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Dennis Rader all abused animals before turning their anger toward humans.
Boys who torture and kill animals are not just “boys being boys” or “going through a phase.” Animal abuse is a serious warning sign. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once noted, “One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.” The results of doing little or nothing are chilling.
When acts of animal cruelty are known or suspected, they should be reported to the proper authorities, such as police, animal control or the humane society. In most instances, these officials have the authority to enforce state and local laws related to animal abuse. By early reporting suspicion of animal abuse by a youth, and providing appropriate punishment and treatment, the number of lives which could be saved is literally incalculable.
Sincerely, Debra Evans
Dear Editor:
I am writing this in the hope every parent who reads it, every parent who has a child with access to a computer, will take action.
If your child is home, go get him (or her). If he is asleep, wake him up. If he isn't home, wait for him, by the door, and grab him when he comes in. Physically take your child to the computer, sit him down, and make him log onto his MySpace account. If your child uses a computer, believe me, he has a MySpace account. Look at your child's profile page. Read the comments from his friends on the right side of the page. Click on the friends he has listed and read their profiles. Many of you will be surprised by what you find. If you don't know the first thing about a computer, make your child do it for you. Remember, you are the adult. If your child is hesitant to show you what is on his page or his friend's page, there's probably a reason.
My son has a MySpace page, and from day one, I have known his login and password information. I'm sure some of it is because of that fact, but I have to say I am very proud of how he conducts himself there. I must also say I thought I knew some of his friends, and I don't. I wasn't even close. However, because I was able to really see them through their pages and comments, I was able to nip those “friendships” in the bud. And I think I may have prevented some very bad things from happening to my son in the process.
Please, take a few minutes out of your day and do this with your child. Some of you will be pleasantly surprised and have another reason to be proud. Many of you will be shocked and horrified, but at least you will know.
Tressa Jennings
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