KALAE CHOCK: It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon; do
you know where your children are? Research suggests you might not considering
the afternoon hours are a common time for young people to commit crime.
It's
known as juvenile crime time: roughly the hours between 2 o'clock in the
afternoon and 8 o'clock at night. It's typically a time when kids are released
from school and are left to their own devices until their parents return home
from work.
Research also says that in order to
curb this trend, after school activities are especially important. The
after-school program at West Central Community Center in Spokane helps young
kids stay busy after school with an open gym and structured playtime and
activities. KHQ talked to students who attend the program that say they're
thankful for a chance to stay busy with other kids doing healthy
activities.
Spokane County Juvenile Court tells
KHQ they see kids get into trouble because they're simply bored. They're left
alone for a few hours, sometimes with the wrong crowd, and sometimes make a
wrong decision that leads them into the court system.
Juvenile Court Counselors
recommend the following tips in helping keep your kids out of trouble: enroll
them in after-school activities, keep an open dialogue with them, and know your
kids' friends.
