In the last month we have heard of several ram raids that have rocked our nation, including one targeting our local Auckland shopping mall. It is disappointing to note how young the offenders are and I wonder what has made them turn to such drastic measures to get attention.

One article I read said 88 percent of the offenders involved in the recent ram raids were under 20 years old and the majority were under 17.

How times have changed. As a 17-year-old, I lived under the watchful eye of my father and I was expected to live by his rules. My life revolved around school, church and home. In between, I would hang out with friends. Dad embedded in us that education was the key to success in life. He did not want us to work in a factory. His dream was for us to work in an office as this was a clean job and it did not involve heavy lifting or manual labour.

Parents play a vital role in the upbringing of their children. Children are like sponges, absorbing knowledge from what they see and hear. As they get older, they wring out what they do not need and keep what they know will help them in life.

What went wrong with the children aged 7, 10, 11 and 12 who were caught holding stolen toys at a Hamilton shopping centre during an attempted break-in late last month? And with a group of young people (the youngest was 12) breaking into cars on the Kapiti Coast? These are just a few stories involving children who seem to have too much time on their hands.

We hear the ongoing concerns of teachers regarding truancy. Since our first lockdown in 2020, the attendance of children returning to school has reduced significantly and many students are not participating in online learning options despite the offer of devices and special Wi-Fi deals.

There may be many reasons children are turning to crime but as concerned parents, we can only pray that they get the right support to manage their rehabilitation. If they go to prison that will likely encourage them to live the life of crime. They need to be educated to change their lives and their future. I believe parents have a responsibility to embed core values in their children to ensure they know right from wrong.

Police Minister, Poto Williams, states that the ram raids represent only one percent of the retail crime rate involving youth. However, even one percent is too high.