In response to the latest developments related to a shooting and burglaries in the Ox Bottom Crest neighborhood on December 28th, 2019, both Interim Police Chief Outlaw and Sheriff Walt McNeil asked for help.
Chief Outlaw stated, “We see a disturbing trend of groups of juveniles involved in these crimes at all hours of the night. Parents need to increase their awareness of their children’s activities.”
“Thieves are opportunists. If they see an easy target, they will strike. Let’s do our part to make it hard for them” added Sheriff Walt McNeil.
During the morning of December 28, 2019, TPD responded to a shooting/burglaries near the 2500 block of Capstone Road. It was later discovered that a stolen black Ford F250 (later recovered by LCSO) and a stolen white Ford Fusion (recovered by TPD) were used during the shooting and several burglaries on the above date.
After reviewing various pieces of evidence and interviews, The “Property Crimes Task Force” PCTF comprised of the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, has arrested Javen Parker and Elvonte Sperdutos for their involvement in the string of burglaries and vehicle thefts.
Javen Parker was charged with an additional 13 counts of Armed Burglary and Grand Theft Auto for his direct involvement with the stolen Ford F250 and booked into the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Elvonte Sperdutos was charged with an additional 18 counts of Armed Burglary and Grand Theft Auto, for his direct involvement with the stolen Ford Fusion, and remains in the Juvenile Detention Center.
The “Property Crimes Task Force” is urging anyone who may have information about any auto burglaries or auto thefts to contact the Tallahassee Police Department at (850) 891-4200, or the Leon County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 606-3300. You may also provide information anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS.
Interim Police Chief Outlaw Seeks Help from Parents added by Staff on
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A longer school day?!?! The kids committing these crimes don’t go to school.
The state needs to get rid of the majority of the juvenile detention centers and create more military esque institutions. These institutions need to be specifically geared toward rehabilitation, grade school education, and preparing these kids for careers in the military. If the parents can’t or won’t parent, send the children off to trustable institutions that will provide a way forward and get them off the streets. It will be better for everyone all around.
We should be able to justify longer sentences in Military schools since the time spent in them will be making them better human beings and not just locking them up.
The key would be to get the kids entered into these schools when they show signs of delinquency at early ages (i.e. 12/13/14).
If done right, these institutions can operate like normal schools with extra curricular activities (basketball teams, baseball teams, etc), but also include work study programs and mandatory volunteering initiatives.
I know many may be against it, but yes….force the state to start raising the kids that terrorize our streets. Ultimately, the institutions would pay for themselves in the form of peace in underpriviladged communities, produce kids that will grow into productive people, and more disciplined soldiers for our military. We complain about the amount of money we spend on the prison system. At least the money spent here would actually produce a return on investment in forms other than just dollars.
Let juvenile detention centers be for kids who commit violent crimes only.
LOVE IT!!! Best idea there is, imo. I’ve been advocating for govt. operated boarding schools, but your idea of military-type institutions specifically for the “delinquents” is brilliant. It’s the only thing that makes sense when we waste soooo much money FUNDING the very behavior we’re complaining about. There are at least 4 generations living out here who’ve been wholly dependent on government assistance…assisting them to ALL be failures.
The lil president tried to cut funding to JobCorp, which is supposed to be what we’re describing, but he got nowhere with it. Surprisingly, I agree with the lil president on this…JobCorp as we currently know it is a breeding ground for advanced criminal behavior. Yes, it has become majority of brown faces there, but I wouldn’t care if the faces were pure gold. It’s a cesspool…how could your idea of military school differ from the failures of JobCorp? What could be done to keep it demanding on the students and effective at job training? More money? Less freedom for the students to congregate and spread their criminal secrets to each other?
Tony:
That’s called “TrayVonning.”
1) There are plenty of involved, good citizens, who have taught and supervised to the best of their ability, and modeled appropriate behaviors, who nonetheless have children who act criminally or sometimes just stupidly. Of course parents should pay attention to their children’s activities and whereabouts. But if they are working two jobs, there isn’t much watching after they can physically do. And even if there is someone paying significant attention, that doesn’t necessarily prevent teens from seeking their own version of life.
2) The slate isn’t wiped clean at 18: the previous arrest show up on sentencing guidelines.
3) I think a longer school day, and more effective interventions, and affordable child care are all needed. So is encouraging young people (by modeling, by pointing out that is how you get life stability) to wait to have children (which requires wait to have sex) until they get their diploma, and their job training and education, have a job, and get married. That is the change that has greatest potential to change the current struggles in our world.
One cannot get blood from a turnip. If we started applying fines and fees to parents for criminal acts of their children you would immediately see the relationship between the welfare state and criminality. There would be a profoundly disproportionate application of the law against those who are deemed to be able to “afford” the penalty while those claiming destitution would be scaled to essentially nothing. An amount they would still not pay. Remember, these are the kids who have probably showed up at school without a single pencil or bag lunch from kindergarten up.
Perhaps the solution is to destroy the term “delinquent” and go back to “criminal.” Stop wiping the slate clean at 18. Do an adult crime, do adult time. Sure the sociologists will rage about label theory and long term effect. Perhaps we should point out that we separated the adult and juvenile systems decades ago and this is where it has taken us. These “kids” have neither fear nor respect.
Parents are legally responsable for harm done by their minor kids in auto accidents and other stuff.
I dont know if that applies in Tallahassee to other criminal activity. Or specifically to the parents of minority kids committing the type of crimes in this article.
There likely may be unwritten leftist methods our flaming liberal Judges in Leon County make the various shades of ethnic citizens responsable for their minor kids misdeeds and bad behavior though.
About 5 to 8 Years ago, I began thinking that the Parents are actually encouraging their Kids to commit Crimes in hopes of a Cop shooting there kid so THEY can Sue and get a huge pay out.
Tony:
That’s called “TrayVonning.”
not your best moment
It also spills over into the politicians who cheat and steal and lie. The Democratic Party sat there for years and did nothing when their candidates lie about their residencies.
The role models in this town are terrible absolutely terrible and everyone sits there and does nothing except give each other awards for their bad behavior.
Perhaps, the Democrats should call a special meeting and have a discussion about replacing some of the leaders and their behavior. Proctor, Hanna, Etc?
And Commissioners Richardson and Bryant need to fess up about what was in that text message or resign, now!
All the commissioners and mayor need to make some management changes starting with the city manager and assistant city manager. These positions were filled under corrupt conditions and are misplaced and not working.
The chief of police is correct, but his bosses who put him into power need to go. Start there, also.
Hope, remember 7 years ago when Gabordi gave their “Person of the Year” Award to the homeless shelter director right before said winner was put on administration leave for harassment allegations?
Talk about a bad role model honoring another bad one…
“Parents need to increase their awareness of their children’s activities.”
Well, at least one of the problems is finally being talked about openly. Certain parents need to step up and be parents, however, get support from LE and the court system.
Secondly, when is there going to be a conversation in our liberal community about drug issues juveniles have and increasing health recovery resources to assist parents help their children? Currently, resources are pathetic!
Already a lack of resources and people want to end all abortions. I don’t understand that thinking UNLESS those same people are pro-forced birth control or vasectomies…Now I can absolutely get on board with that instead of abortion. Just think…without the option to abort, there’d be an even bigger number of delinquents out here with shoddy parents.
What if parents of juveniles found guilty of crimes were also sentenced the same as the crooks they are supposed to be responsible for parenting?
I couldn’t agree more, John.
Additionally, having a respectable role model for skrewel superintendent would help. When kids see a bully who did not pay child support, and authored a fake dossier on an opponent and give it to authorities (sound familiar?) at the top, it says to them that bad guys win.
The EXACT same thing I say about the current president of our entire country. Off-topic maybe, but the same principle applies, and it needs application from the TOP-down.
I agree that parents need some accountability, criminal accountability specifically. Knowing what I know about fines imposed on criminals, only the threat of actual incarceration will deter such awful parenting. I also know a parent can do everything right, and there are simply bad apples. Still, the option needs serious consideration.
The problem with that John is, 85% of those Kids are being raised by their Grandmother. There Daddy is either in the wind or Prison as well as the Grand Daddy.
Make it a separate charge for the parent. Their responsibility is different from that of the minor.