By C1 Staff
CHARLESTON — Probation officers in Cole County, Illinois, are reporting seeing an influx of young offenders getting involved with hard drugs and firearms.
A few years previously, the officers dealt mainly with truancy issues such as fights, shoplifting and marijuana use. Recently, they’ve noticed a spike in juveniles involved with heroin and other hard drugs, along with gun use, the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier reports.
The concern, though, it’s the number of crimes but the type.
“They’re becoming more aggressive in nature,” Jana Pamperin, Cole County probation officer, said.
One reason thought to be behind the increase is adults recruiting young people to commit the crimes because they face lesser sentences as juveniles. Many who have been arrested said they associated with people five years or more older than they are.
Peer pressure and “honestly … bad choices” are also factors.
Officers work with juveniles on a case by case basis, but hope that networking and cooperation – as in the case of a recent young male with a firearm – can connect teens with the help they need.