I wish I was really as smart as I sometimes think I am. When it comes to many problems I’ve got the solutions. And if you don’t believe me, just ask me.

But when it comes to how we deal with juvenile crime and the new downtown Juvenile Justice building I’m right there with the Douglas County Commissioners and I haven’t got a clue.

But the building is only part of the problem.

What do you do with those six children who have been charged in the murder of Mursal Jama a 64 year old Uber driver? Seventeen year old Trenton Titsworth-Hunt, 16 year old Talan Wilson, and 14 year old Joseph Keyes are currently being held without bond awaiting trial as adults for multiple crimes including a first degree murder charge for the 14 year old boy.

What do you do with a 14 year old alleged murderer? Do you give up on him and lock him away for the next seventy years? Can a boy like that be rehabilitated and after serving some time in the state pen be sent back into society? What do you do with a 14 year old murderer?

I wish I knew.

And how about the other two suspects one is 11 and the other 13. They are both currently back out on the street since Nebraska law prohibits the incarceration of anyone under the age of 14. What do you do with these young men who have both had previous run ins with the law?

In times gone by these boys might have been portrayed in a movie as loveable street urchins who were rescued by Father Flannagan played by Spencer Tracy.

But we don’t live in those times anymore.

If I wanted to act like I knew the answer, I could go the easy route and blame the parents, video games, violent movies or rap music. That would make it sound like I had a solution.

Or maybe I could write it off by saying that there is evil in this world, and that the devil had taken control of their hearts and minds.

But I know those are just empty responses. The solution is much more complicated than that.

So what do we do with an 11 year old that was allegedly involved in a murderous crime spree? Do we just wait until they murder someone after they turn 14 and then lock them away forever? That doesn’t seem like a very viable solution. But that doesn’t mean I have a better idea.

Douglas County spent 27 million dollars for a Juvenile Justice detention center that will never get used because it’s not big enough to handle the number of kids committing crimes.

It is my hope and belief that many of those currently in the juvenile justice system will have a come to Jesus moment and grow up to be productive members of society. That they are good kids that did a bad thing and will grow up and realize that a life behind bars is no way to live.

But most of those kids currently incarcerated are not being charged with murder, and most of them are a little older and hopefully mature enough to try to turn their lives around.

What do you do with an 11 year old? How do you get through to him? If an existence of violence and dysfunction is all he’s known can you actually get him to turn his life around? Or do you just throw him on a trash heap of lost souls that never had a chance? Think of this generations’ Niko Jenkins if you will.

During the planning stages County Commissioner James Cavanaugh was the only member of the board who sounded the alarm that the facility wasn’t going to be big enough to do the job. Other commissioners disagreed, one accused him of grandstanding to further his political career. That’s a moot point now. The questions are where do we go from here? What do we do with a detention center that was obsolete before it even opened and what do you do with an 11 year old involved in a murder case?

I really wish I knew.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

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