Suzanne's Mom's Blog

Photo: USA Network/Reuters.
“Crush Reloaded” event at Tybee Island, Georgia, in April.

Every year, the town of New Shoreham, Rhode Island, braces itself for the Fourth of July and the likely arrival of crowds of underage teens hauling kegs to the beach. This year they arranged for extra state police to come to the island to support local police, who vowed to be firm about any risky activity. (I assume whoever stole a car July 2 and dismantled a stone wall on the West Side has learned what that means. But by the way, who leaves their keys in an unlocked car over the Fourth?)

‘Most of us experienced [teen years] as a tough time in life. We should be reminded of that. We need some patience,’ says Mr. Martinez.

Patrik Jonsson at the Christian Science Monitor wrote about a recent Georgia “swarm.”

“For Cabriel Lewis, it was an ‘epic’ teen takeover. When he was just 15, he joined tens of thousands of other teenagers to rush onto tiny Tybee Island, Georgia, a barrier island beach town with only one causeway road on and off. They were trying to take part in ‘Orange Crush,’ a controversial, annual spring break beach bash here. Gridlock ensued, people were injured, ambulances got stuck, and mayhem ruled deep into the night.

“ ‘It was a lot of fun,’ says Mr. Lewis, now 18. ‘But I also feel lucky to have gotten off the island alive.’

“Unruly teen gatherings have long been an integral part of American culture … but driven by social media organizing and the potential for viral fame, a new wave of teen ‘takeovers’ is presenting big problems – and opportunities – for communities across the U.S. …

“Like the often artistic ‘flash mobs,’ in which a group rushes in, performs an unexpected act (like the 4,000-person silent disco in London’s Victoria Station in 2006, or the five-minute frozen pose by some 200 people in New York’s Grand Central Station in 2009), modern ‘teen takeovers tend to be social-media-driven gatherings that happen fast, with kids disappearing into crowds when police arrive. That makes it difficult for authorities to hold the youthful participants accountable for any property damage – including dented car roofs from stomping on them or unruly other behavior. …

“Questions are being raised about how communities can tweak responses to the often unruly teen takeovers, rather than just punishing errant teens or their parents. City leaders also acknowledge they can do better. After all, they say, hanging out, taking on risky adventures, and prioritizing peers’ attention over possible consequences are deemed normal behavior for teens trying to establish independence.

‘“This is the kind of thing we, as teenagers, have always done,’ says Jennifer Breheny Wallace, a fellow at the Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, referring to the youth gatherings in malls and parking lots.

“But times are different, these leaders note, and some teens talk about a sense of irrelevance, whether related to changing media norms, invasive, high-stakes technology, or a polarized political environment – a tricky mix for young people.

“ ‘When we are made to feel like we don’t matter, we can either withdraw or act out in extremes,’ says Ms. Wallace. Teen takeovers ‘are a collective assertion of this need to matter.’

“Here on Tybee Island, a teen takeover on the beach pier in early April ended when gunfire erupted. The teens fled and the police chased, but no one was arrested and no bullet casings were found. The TV show ‘Inside Edition’ even asked Mayor Brian West for a comment.

“ ‘I think [the producers] were expecting this shocked, unprepared small town mayor who was horrified by all of this,’ says Mr. West, who, years ago, became the legal guardian to three teenagers who had nowhere else to go. ‘They didn’t get that. I said, “Look, we do this every year. It’s a big deal, but we know how to handle it.” ‘ (Interestingly, he says, the interview never made it to air.)

“While Mayor West said his goal was to end Orange Crush, citing safety risks, drug and gun concerns, and traffic gridlock, he refocused on creating safe spaces for teens to gather, even as they push boundaries. That revamped gathering, held this year, is now rebranded as ‘Crush Reloaded.’

“Other cities and towns are learning on the job. … Focusing solely on either curfews or parental accountability can fall short, according to research by Charlotte Gill, a criminology professor at George Mason University, who has found that crime sometimes increases during curfews.

“Former Chicago police officer Louis Martinez, now an associate professor of criminal justice at Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois, agrees. The call, he says, is to address a mix of needs around discipline, respect, and meaningful relationships in families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. …

“Many communities, in fact, are moving to balance their response. …

“ ‘Have fun,’ 2nd District Council member Marquinn McDonald said to teens at a news conference in Chicago announcing one such event. ‘Come out, kick it, do your thing, but do not destroy.’ ”

More at the Monitor, here.