Nanaimo's juvenile violent crime rate is significantly higher than other similar demographics.

By Spencer Sterritt

vicious cycle

Nanaimo’s juvenile violent crime rate rises, far exceeds similar cities

Nov 21, 2019 | 9:11 AM

NANAIMO — Area youth are increasingly being left adrift and alone in a negative world, which leads to them entering a world of crime.

The recently unveiled Vital Signs report, which collects and presents data from community organizations to provide a snapshot of Nanaimo society, showed the number of youth per 100,000 charged with a violent crime rose by 180 between 2013 and 2018.

Though Nanaimo’s rate change between 2013 and 2018 wasn’t the highest, it started from a number higher than any other comparison city. (Vital Signs)

The number of Nanaimo youth charged with violent crimes per 100,000 in 2013 is higher than the 2018 number from comparison cities by a substantial amount.

Kirsten Bjermeland, who works in the John Howard Society’s restorative justice program, told NanaimoNewsNOW she wished she was more surprised when reading the Vital Signs report.

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She said statistics involving the rising cost of housing, the high number of children who are moving numerous times in one year and the amount of children in kindergarten being considered emotionally vulnerable stuck out to her.

“If you’re moving around a lot, your parents are working a lot because they can’t afford housing, you’re surrounded by people with addictions, what’s that experience like for you?” she asked. “I think that paints a really good picture of why some of this stuff is going on in the community with young people.”

The Vital Signs report specifically examined violent crimes committed by youth. The total number of youth charged has dropped from a high of 3,600 in 2015 to 2,800 in 2018.

“Hurt people hurt people,” Bjermeland said when asked about the rise in violent crimes among youth.

In her work with the restorative justice program, she’s never met more than one kid in a group who had a supportive home life.

“If you’re in pain and you don’t feel nurtured or cared for or having a space to feel safe, you’re going to want to lash out. You’re going to want to get angry.”

She also pointed to the increasingly negative echo chamber of social media and how it can warp a vulnerable youth’s perspective. Specifically, she identified various Facebook forums which share images of those believed to be homeless and thieves and often feature aggressive, demeaning language.

“Can you imagine what it would be like to see your mom or sister on there and see 100 comments…saying she should go die? It’s really got to screw with your sense of self and who you are.” _{Kirsten Bjermeland}

Jason Flett, a case manager for rental support and the housing first program with the Nanaimo John Howard Society, said “eye-for-an-eye” rhetoric becoming normalized in online conversations trickles down into the home.

“I don’t think it’s because parents are necessarily negligent by choice. I think it’s because you don’t often have the energy or time to allow yourself to sit there and educate your child extensively about certain things they’re seeing on a daily basis, especially if you’re a single parent who has to take two jobs to even pay rent.”

Both Bjermeland and Flett work in collaboration with the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District’s Learning Alternatives program for a new initiative called Real Talk. It’s focused on addressing the root caused of youth criminality.

NanaimoNewsNOW will have a followup on the Real Talk program, highlighting how it works and how it’s changing the lives of youth for the better.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit