Pay Teens money for them to behave? (Boston: 2015, city hall)

[Whatsnext75]

I mean really? As if we dont give enough handouts. Yeah this will work!

Councilor: City should consider paying troubled teens to stay out of trouble | Universal Hub

[Dm84]

I'm only ok with this if I get paid the same for being a "good" adult.

[miu]

How about giving them jobs? Give them something productive to do. But certainly, don't just give them money for behaving well like they are supposed to be doing.

And where are these troubled teens parents? Why aren't they being good parents?

[Whatsnext75]

This is yet another reason boston gives me a reason to complain. Obviously this money to give to these brats will come out of my paycheck that I work hard for. No big deal though! Their parents are likely smoking crack in an abandoned building somewhere

[jellybean23]

I heard a podcast about the original program in CA, I think it was on This American Life. It was surprisingly successful. These are not just "bratty teens", these are people who might one day become (or are already) serious criminals. The program in CA reduced shootings and deaths by guns by some crazy amount, plus I'm pretty sure it cost taxpayers less than the price of a paying for an inmate's lifetime in prison if they are convicted of a murder. The kids get coached on getting a degree, getting a job, etc. and basically learn to become law abiding citizens. These are kids who don't have opportunities that most people have and these programs give them a second chance. I would support it.

[Whatsnext75]

but WHY should they get paid for that. Getting coached by someone to get a degree or a job is already helpful enough one would think

[pennyone]

Originally Posted by jellybean23

I heard a podcast about the original program in CA, I think it was on This American Life. It was surprisingly successful. These are not just "bratty teens", these are people who might one day become (or are already) serious criminals. The program in CA reduced shootings and deaths by guns by some crazy amount, plus I'm pretty sure it cost taxpayers less than the price of a paying for an inmate's lifetime in prison if they are convicted of a murder. The kids get coached on getting a degree, getting a job, etc. and basically learn to become law abiding citizens. These are kids who don't have opportunities that most people have and these programs give them a second chance. I would support it.

More likely, these are kids who do not have the family support to learn the value of education and staying clear of the law. I wouldn't give them money, but some sort of required program where kids learn the essentials of social, political and financial responsibilities and independence.

[jellybean23]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

but WHY should they get paid for that. Getting coached by someone to get a degree or a job is already helpful enough one would think

Well, I don't know the details of what they would propose here in Boston, but in the CA case, they gave them money because the "kids" were actually all drug dealers already. They were basically asking them to give up their main form of "income" while going through the program. Many of them were already felons and had trouble getting real jobs so simple coaching and education wasn't enough incentive for them to give up the drug dealing.

[miu]

If these teens are already drug dealers or working for drug dealers, we can't afford to pay them enough money to get them to abandon that lifestyle. Drug dealers make bank, so offering these kids minimum wages is going to seem like a joke to them.

[bigfatdude]

Originally Posted by jellybean23

I heard a podcast about the original program in CA, I think it was on This American Life. It was surprisingly successful. These are not just "bratty teens", these are people who might one day become (or are already) serious criminals. The program in CA reduced shootings and deaths by guns by some crazy amount, plus I'm pretty sure it cost taxpayers less than the price of a paying for an inmate's lifetime in prison if they are convicted of a murder. The kids get coached on getting a degree, getting a job, etc. and basically learn to become law abiding citizens. These are kids who don't have opportunities that most people have and these programs give them a second chance. I would support it.

It all sounds good on paper, but they've conveniently omitted the cost of all the social workers and police officers who would have to be assigned to the teens in question 24/7 to ensure they actually are staying out of trouble. Also, what kind of message is this sending? Sell some drugs, shoot up a street corner, promise not to do it again and those morons at the city hall will send you a thousand dollar check every month going forward?