Scared straight?

[Tank]

columbus mom has police "arrest" her 10 year old.

 

http://abc7.com/news/cops-stage-mock-arrest-to-help-mom-with-unruly-son/691637/

 

[Hollyw00d]

Thanks mom

[LBHalos17]

We have done this before, and it's usually very effective (depending on the age of the kid, and how far-gone they are to peer pressure).

 

I can remember once cuffing a kid around 12-13 (who was physically threatening to his mom, and verbally to me!).  I left him to stew for awhile about going to juvenile hall, and turned my radio up for him to listen to a bit of reality.

 

After a few minutes I opened the back door, and could see a little chink in his armor since I had called his bluff.  I told him he was at a crossroads in his life, and would have to decide which fork he was taking.  I showed him a form that his mom had "signed" regarding giving-up custody, and agreeing with us that he should be remanded to juvenile hall for whatever his crime was.  It took just a few minutes of talking about how, at his age he didn't really have too many rights, and that the demands his mom put on him aren't really all that severe.  He was trying not to break-down, and I was trying to allow him to keep some of his "dignity" at the same time.

 

I checked-in on him and mom a few times, and he seemed to be doing pretty well and going with the program...

 

I do like the sign-board idea too, though.  But that would only work with the non-violent kids who aren't too far gone yet.