The people of Digby, like people everywhere, are tired of senseless destruction. Tired of cleaning up the broken glass when rocks and chunks of concrete shatter hard work and dreams.

This is not a new problem… and that’s the problem. It just seems to go on and on with no end in sight.

The few who cause the trouble eventually grow up and get jobs, learn respect for property and move onto more productive pursuits. But every year says Richard Parry, Digby’s special constable, a few new troublemakers step up to take their place.

The knee jerk response to every spate of destruction is to call for more policing, more cameras, and stiffer sentences.

There are a couple serious problems with this way of thinking. First and foremost, it never worked in the past and it ain’t working now.

And secondly, this approach requires that vandals break windows before they can be stopped. That don’t make sense.

Why not come up with a plan that doesn’t involve waiting? Waiting for the new staff sergeant, waiting for new cameras, waiting for legislative changes.

Positive change requires positive action. And a positive vision.

What kind of community do we want to live in? One where windows get smashed and our young people get hauled off to jail?

Or a community where everyone takes responsibility for each other, where everyone feels ownership of their community and the well-being of each of its constituents?

Sounds great but how do we get there? The first step is for everyone to accept that we need to solve this as a community. Police can’t solve it alone, lawmakers can’t solve it, churches can’t, schools can’t, not even parents can.

The next step is education. Education that spells out the cost of vandalism (Imagine the additions Annapolis Royal could make to its skatepark if it wasn’t spending $20,000 on surveillance cameras, for example.) but mainly education that focuses on a shared positive vision for the community.

The community needs to make sure there are recreational opportunities for everyone, not just competitive rep teams. And we need to find ways to keep young people busy, find ways to redirect all this youthful energy in a positive direction.

Still we are going to have problems. Still there will be people who don’t feel included, who don’t feel apart of the community, or who have other problems that make them act out in this antisocial manner.

What if we stopped writing these youth off as “a few bad apples� and acknowledge that they, more than anyone else in our community, need our help? Instead of stiffer penalties, what would happen if we looked for ways to help them and their parents join the vast majority of citizens who get along with each other and respect each others properties?

This sort of grand community vision can’t happen without strong, proactive and creative municipal leadership. And without the participation of the whole community.

Sound a little pie in the sky? Too much wishful thinking?

It might not work, but it couldn’t possibly work any worse than the present approach.

Trying something new is infinitely better than just sitting back and waiting for the next rock, broom in hand, ready to sweep up the mess.



jriley@digbycourier.ca