Summer is here and free time may be in abundance for some Richmond County youth, but summer means some kids without anything to do get into trouble.

“Summer is where the idle time is,” Major James Clemmons of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Richmond County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council met on Monday to discuss the options available to youths this summer.

They enlisted the help of Dr. Deborah Lamm Weisel, an assistant research professor and the director of police research in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at North Carolina State University.

Her portfolio includes research on police responses to crime problems such as gangs, street drugs and graffiti, as well as community policing, safety and security in public housing, and repeat victimization from burglary and robbery. Her work has been published in Justice Quarterly, Public Management and the American Journal of Police.

Dean Vick of the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, said that the budget for the organization was sent even though two groups did not take into consideration the current five percent reduction by the legislature.

“I am submitting the information as is, if changes need to be made I will let you know,” Vick said.

Dianne Smith and Michelle Stumbo of the Richmond County 4-H were not able to be in attendance at the meeting, due to summer programs. Page Burns of the Richmond County Cooperative Extension was there in their absence to discuss the Adventures After School Program during the month of May.

“We showed the children ways to give an inexpensive Mother’s Day gift, and a sewing class doing the basics,” Burns said.

They also reorganized the South Hamlet Center to get prepared for the summer programs.

Burns went on to say that they had a discussion about “Pharm Parties” which are parties where prescription drugs are abused by teens. All of the pills are tossed into a bowl and each teen grabs a handful of pills to swallow.

“To add to the danger, the pills are often taken using some alcoholic beverage to wash them down,” Burns said.

The JCPC is using a client tracking program. This database holds all of the information compiled by all of the programs.

Other groups within JCPC include the Youth Entry Services (YES) program, Project Focus Restitution and Project Focus.

Project Focus is handled Maurice McLaurin, project coordinator.

“We are trying to show them that there are more constructive things you can do with their time,” McLaurin said.

Vick agreed saying that there is not a lot of structure, “they will be doing something this summer and its important to have structure. They need things that will keep them busy in the afternoon.”

For more information on the Richmond County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council contact Curtis Ingram at (910) 206-1240 or by e-mail at cingram@carolina.rr.com.

Hollie Nivens can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or by e-mailing at hnivens@yourdailyjournal.com.