Parenting
Perspectives on Parenting©
by Nancy Lambert Davenport
Nancy Davenport's Column:
For Richardson News 04-03-94
Copyright Nancy Lambert Davenport 1994
Trickle down effect of crime has hidden consequences
We have a dear friend who works with us in our church youth group. She is not long out of high school herself but chose not to go to college immediately after graduation. During that time since she graduated, she has worked a couple of years, settled down, and is now ready to begin serious study toward a career in counseling.
She cannot see herself enjoying dorm life since she will be older than the average Freshman, so she optimistically set out to find an apartment. We consulted a friend who is also a policewoman about safe locations. Quickly we learned that anything within my young friend's price range was deemed by my policewoman friend to be unfit and unsafe. These are apartments in RISD to which I am referring. Anything else we found was so expensive there would be no money for her for other essentials.
I realized during this search that if these lower priced apartment complexes in our neighborhood were unsafe for a young college woman, they would literally be the death of a vulnerable person with disabilities.
As a result I have been rethinking, wondering, and worrying about what is ahead for the independent young people with disabilities whom we are successfully churning out of our schools-- specifically my son, Austin, and his friends.
These young people are learning acceptable social, academic, and work skills adequate for them to be employed competitively ( but probably always at fairly low wages) and live independently -- but no one wants for them, or anyone for that matter, to have to live in a dangerous apartment just because they do not make very much money.
Through the years as Austin was growing up I have pictured him sharing a modest but large apartment with friends and perhaps hiring a nice trained couple to live next door and assist them when needed. This way Austin would be out mingling in society yet have some immediate back up help. I realize this is a simplistic view of the situation, but I felt we would work out something along that line.
Now I have my doubts. I see crime within the apartments changing the cost and reality of my plan.
This is a unique trickle down effect of crime. It affects people with disabilities, as well as college students and many retired people. They are all possibly having to remain more dependent when they don't really need to be -- because crime is out of hand.
We of course will not give up. We will simply have to be more creative. Perhaps we can go together with some other families, purchase a four or six unit apartment complex in a safe area, hire a competent "helper" couple to live in one, and screen other renters ourselves for criminal background.
I am sure there are other possibilities. I don't have a pat answer, but maybe it will help that a few more people know about the problem.
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Nancy Lambert Davenport
EMAIL: nancdave@swbell.net
URL: http://www.nancyldavenport.com