Intervention is necessary to guide youth: Experts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent incident of rape and murder of Latvian woman is pointer to the youth in the state getting initiated to crime early on in their lives.There are several psycho social factors responsible for youth living in vulnerable areas moving to petty crimes and then heinous criminal activities. Experts suggest that mapping of adolescents and youth among vulnerable sections is required to understand the psycho-social needs. 

They say local bodies can play a key role in carrying out such a mapping exercise which will also help in devising interventional techniques based on social support mechanism.

According to Dr R Jayaprakash, additional professor paediatrics and child psychiatry SAT hospital, personality disorder have different dimensions. Youth affected by such problems have impulsive behaviour and often do not think about the consequences of their actions.

"Youth with such tendencies are more prone to fall in the trap mafia of various hues including drugs, alcohol and crime syndicate.  During childhood they show tendencies which are easily identifiable like picking fights for petty reasons and attack parents especially mother. 

Family environment, single parent, socio economic reasons, alcoholic and abusive parent, domestic violence, dysfunctional families are responsible for behavioural disorders bordering on psychopathic behaviour. Many youth may have a traumatic childhood; they might have even faced sexual abuse early on. It is a cyclic process and the chain needs to be snapped at some point to bring them out of this viscous cycle," he said.

Multi pronged strategy is needed to deal with such vulnerable sections of society. The focus should be on family reconstruction, strengthening of family, financial empowerment of family and socio economic initiatives.

"There are specific models in Latin American countries under which children with such tendencies are separated from the family early on and provided proper training and psychosocial rehabilitation. In our state the local bodies can think of mapping vulnerable groups to understand their problems.

Kerala State Youth Welfare Board has taken the initiative to set up "Yuva Clubs" across the state especially in vulnerable areas like backward and underdeveloped areas, SC/ST colonies and high range districts. "Already 300 clubs have been set up in the state so far. We intend to constitute 1000 clubs," said P Biju, board vice chairman. The government has set side Rs 3 crore for such activities.

One of the major problems being faced by the youth is the fast disappearing playgrounds, platforms for cultural and social activities. "We are going to step up awareness programmes for youth living in vulnerable areas. Though we mainly deal with legal issues and complaints related to youth, efforts will be made to organise awareness programmes.