Gambling on our Future:
A new study suggests a link between juvenile crime and gambling
By Andrew Vandeventer, Insight News reporter
It’s Sunday afternoon, and for Memphis, spring has come early. Temperatures hover in the mid-60's. On this day, Shelby Farms is a popular attraction as everyone emerges from their winter hibernation
On the road that winds through the park, a 1998 Ford F-150 accelerates, traveling with a purpose. Inside local pastor Earnest Gillespie is in the driver’s seat.For Reverend Gillespie there’s no time to stop and enjoy the beautiful day. No, for the pastor, this trip through Shelby Farms is business.
As the Ford passes the famous Shelby Farms’ bison, a fortress emerges on the left side of the two-lane road. The building is fortified by concrete walls and a barbed-wire fence.
As the road forks, Gillespie’s vehicle heads left toward the facility. A secured gate lifts after credentials are checked. Walking towards the building he is armed with his battle tools- a bible and a robe. Upon entry, he passes a sign- ‘Jail East.’ Located behind Shelby Farms, Jail East is a juvenile correction facility in Memphis.
Pastor Gillespie's mission on this Sunday is to baptize 20 juveniles, bringing God and a sense of purpose to them, “We want to let them know there is a transformation that can happen in their lives.”
The reverend, a gentle and patient man, has voluntarily thrust himself into the war on youth-crime in the Bluff City. He is a Special Project Coordinator for Memphis City Schools. It’s a fancy title for a job that’s anything but glamorous. The pastor works in schools to prevent and intervene in juvenile gangs; first-hand witnessing the daily tragedies that occur in our streets.
At the baptism, the young inmates are dunked into a water filled pool that resembles a casket. It’s a severe reminder of the place they could end up. By baptizing the kids, the Reverend hopes the water will purify their bodies and souls; amending their crimes, some of which are unspeakable even for Gillespie. The offenses are widespread from simple-assault to murder.
“I look to our future; our young people are our future. If society is going to turn out any better, we must equip them.”
NOTHING TO DO
This event is a stark reminder to Gillespie that juvenile crime in Memphis is growing. Working with kids every day, he sees the need for action.
“It’s on the rise because there’s nothing for these juveniles to do anymore.”
Statistics back him up. Shelby County has seen a 50% increase in juveniles behind bars in the past year alone, and according to an October article in the Commercial Appeal, adolescent felonies have doubled since 2008. The chief probation officer of the Memphis Juvenile Court says the leading contributors are lack of parental supervision, peer influence and truancy.
But, a new study suggests there may be another cause, one we might not have suspected -- gambling.
A RISKY WAGER
When we think of gambling, we often think of middle-aged men gathered around a poker table in a smoke filled room or retirees playing slot machines in Tunica. But gambling can also take place on a basketball court, computers and the streets.
The Rev. Gillespie says that juvenile crime and gambling go hand-in-hand. The pastor blames this connection partly on the culture.
“Being brought up with the rappers, showing their jewelry and the fancy cars...a lot of the kids, when they see that, they want those things as well. So, they go out, and do other means to try to get those things.”
In a city that sells lottery tickets on every corner and is a “rock’s throw” from a major casino-town, it may not be surprising that adolescent gambling is on the rise. Gambling among teens takes on a variety of forms – much of it harmless, but all involving money. Young people are wagering on dice games, flipping cards, betting on sports teams, and playing the lottery.
THE TROUBLING LINK
Andrea Watson is a PhD candidate with the University of Memphis’ Department of Psychology. She conducts research for the department’s Gambling Clinic, one of the only gambling treatment centers in the Mid-South.
Watson has been investigating the possible link between juvenile gambling and crime and what she has uncovered may be startling to some. According to her study, 72% of adolescents have gambled in the past 6 years. Even more alarming, one in ten teens has a gambling habit that is considered “problematic.”
The experiment, conducted last summer, focused on 156 at-risk adolescents from the Memphis-area. Each juvenile completed a survey, answering questions regarding their criminal background and involvement in gambling. After the surveys were completed, researchers looked for patterns and tried to determine a link between teens in handcuffs and juveniles wagering.
Two-thirds of the group admitted to gambling in the past year. The two most common forms of wagering were sports betting and betting on games of personal skill. In the end, the sample uncovered some eye-opening results. Adolescents involved in crime had a higher gambling rate than their counterparts.
Simply put, those that were gambling frequently were more likely to engage in criminal activity
For those embroiled in both crime and gambling, nearly half committed a delinquent act directly because of a gambling-related debt. Most of these acts involved theft at some level.
These adolescents would do anything necessary to get the money needed to satisfy a collector.
A HARMLESS HABIT?
Gillespie heads up a program at Pearly Gates Baptist Church called ‘Youth for Youth.’ Every Sunday, the pastor holds a free counseling and teaching session for juveniles in the city. Some of these kids want to escape the violence and misery of gang-life for good while others just want a couple of hours of peace .
During the sessions, the group discusses everything that creates chaos in their life. One of the topics is gambling, a way to make quick cash to pay off debts.
“We see it a lot (working with the kids)- especially on the outside- one of the reasons why they have to gamble is because they have to pay dues and assessments to their OG (gang leader).”
Gillespie’s experience in the streets confirms Watson’s research findings.
“The findings are significant. While much more information and research is needed to better understand this connection, these findings are important and tell us that gambling may be more problematic…than expected,” said Watson.
Jim Whelan is the head researcher for The Gambling Clinic at the University of Memphis. Whelan works primarily with adults, but finds that literature on children and gambling reveals a double-edged sword. Adults are aware of their problem because their habit often leads to debt or even bankruptcy.
But for children -- who usually have little money of their own -- the consequences are not as immediate.
“Gaming can actually be more harmful to children because they are protected from (the) financial side-effects,” said Whelan. This safeguard provides a false sense of security, which can lead to a greater addiction.
But research in this area is sparse. Less than a handful of studies have been published.
Psychologist Abby Goldstein at York University conducted a similar experiment to that of the Gambling Clinic. Her analysis of 1,000 juveniles found comparable results. The most monumental being that gambling is more prevalent in inner-city youth and is associated with several risk behaviors, such as lower academic achievement, alcohol use, and general violence.
AN INTRIGUING QUESTION
Barry Mitchell is the chief probation officer at Juvenile Court. According to Mitchell, last year his facility dealt with just 87 gambling-related detentions, well under one-percent of total arrests.
“Gambling is not something we see a lot of. Quite often, it’s in association with another charge,” said Mitchell
Since it’s rare that the detention center deals with such offenses, Mitchell is hesitant to apply gambling as a phantom-cause to juvenile crime.
“My gut feeling is I doubt that it’s an indicator that someone (participating in gambling) would get involved in going out and shooting somebody or breaking into a house.”
What we do know is that juvenile crime continues to blossom in this city. It’s the ultimate desire of Reverend Gillespie and others like him to completely eradicate this growing plague.
Until then, Gillespie will be make his Sunday pilgrimages through Shelby Farms in his Ford truck, accelerating down the road, driving with a purpose -- to transform the future of this city.
On the road that winds through the park, a 1998 Ford F-150 accelerates, traveling with a purpose. Inside local pastor Earnest Gillespie is in the driver’s seat.For Reverend Gillespie there’s no time to stop and enjoy the beautiful day. No, for the pastor, this trip through Shelby Farms is business.
As the Ford passes the famous Shelby Farms’ bison, a fortress emerges on the left side of the two-lane road. The building is fortified by concrete walls and a barbed-wire fence.
As the road forks, Gillespie’s vehicle heads left toward the facility. A secured gate lifts after credentials are checked. Walking towards the building he is armed with his battle tools- a bible and a robe. Upon entry, he passes a sign- ‘Jail East.’ Located behind Shelby Farms, Jail East is a juvenile correction facility in Memphis.
Pastor Gillespie's mission on this Sunday is to baptize 20 juveniles, bringing God and a sense of purpose to them, “We want to let them know there is a transformation that can happen in their lives.”
The reverend, a gentle and patient man, has voluntarily thrust himself into the war on youth-crime in the Bluff City. He is a Special Project Coordinator for Memphis City Schools. It’s a fancy title for a job that’s anything but glamorous. The pastor works in schools to prevent and intervene in juvenile gangs; first-hand witnessing the daily tragedies that occur in our streets.
At the baptism, the young inmates are dunked into a water filled pool that resembles a casket. It’s a severe reminder of the place they could end up. By baptizing the kids, the Reverend hopes the water will purify their bodies and souls; amending their crimes, some of which are unspeakable even for Gillespie. The offenses are widespread from simple-assault to murder.
“I look to our future; our young people are our future. If society is going to turn out any better, we must equip them.”
NOTHING TO DO
This event is a stark reminder to Gillespie that juvenile crime in Memphis is growing. Working with kids every day, he sees the need for action.
“It’s on the rise because there’s nothing for these juveniles to do anymore.”
Statistics back him up. Shelby County has seen a 50% increase in juveniles behind bars in the past year alone, and according to an October article in the Commercial Appeal, adolescent felonies have doubled since 2008. The chief probation officer of the Memphis Juvenile Court says the leading contributors are lack of parental supervision, peer influence and truancy.
But, a new study suggests there may be another cause, one we might not have suspected -- gambling.
A RISKY WAGER
When we think of gambling, we often think of middle-aged men gathered around a poker table in a smoke filled room or retirees playing slot machines in Tunica. But gambling can also take place on a basketball court, computers and the streets.
The Rev. Gillespie says that juvenile crime and gambling go hand-in-hand. The pastor blames this connection partly on the culture.
“Being brought up with the rappers, showing their jewelry and the fancy cars...a lot of the kids, when they see that, they want those things as well. So, they go out, and do other means to try to get those things.”
In a city that sells lottery tickets on every corner and is a “rock’s throw” from a major casino-town, it may not be surprising that adolescent gambling is on the rise. Gambling among teens takes on a variety of forms – much of it harmless, but all involving money. Young people are wagering on dice games, flipping cards, betting on sports teams, and playing the lottery.
THE TROUBLING LINK
Andrea Watson is a PhD candidate with the University of Memphis’ Department of Psychology. She conducts research for the department’s Gambling Clinic, one of the only gambling treatment centers in the Mid-South.
Watson has been investigating the possible link between juvenile gambling and crime and what she has uncovered may be startling to some. According to her study, 72% of adolescents have gambled in the past 6 years. Even more alarming, one in ten teens has a gambling habit that is considered “problematic.”
The experiment, conducted last summer, focused on 156 at-risk adolescents from the Memphis-area. Each juvenile completed a survey, answering questions regarding their criminal background and involvement in gambling. After the surveys were completed, researchers looked for patterns and tried to determine a link between teens in handcuffs and juveniles wagering.
Two-thirds of the group admitted to gambling in the past year. The two most common forms of wagering were sports betting and betting on games of personal skill. In the end, the sample uncovered some eye-opening results. Adolescents involved in crime had a higher gambling rate than their counterparts.
Simply put, those that were gambling frequently were more likely to engage in criminal activity
For those embroiled in both crime and gambling, nearly half committed a delinquent act directly because of a gambling-related debt. Most of these acts involved theft at some level.
These adolescents would do anything necessary to get the money needed to satisfy a collector.
A HARMLESS HABIT?
Gillespie heads up a program at Pearly Gates Baptist Church called ‘Youth for Youth.’ Every Sunday, the pastor holds a free counseling and teaching session for juveniles in the city. Some of these kids want to escape the violence and misery of gang-life for good while others just want a couple of hours of peace .
During the sessions, the group discusses everything that creates chaos in their life. One of the topics is gambling, a way to make quick cash to pay off debts.
“We see it a lot (working with the kids)- especially on the outside- one of the reasons why they have to gamble is because they have to pay dues and assessments to their OG (gang leader).”
Gillespie’s experience in the streets confirms Watson’s research findings.
“The findings are significant. While much more information and research is needed to better understand this connection, these findings are important and tell us that gambling may be more problematic…than expected,” said Watson.
Jim Whelan is the head researcher for The Gambling Clinic at the University of Memphis. Whelan works primarily with adults, but finds that literature on children and gambling reveals a double-edged sword. Adults are aware of their problem because their habit often leads to debt or even bankruptcy.
But for children -- who usually have little money of their own -- the consequences are not as immediate.
“Gaming can actually be more harmful to children because they are protected from (the) financial side-effects,” said Whelan. This safeguard provides a false sense of security, which can lead to a greater addiction.
But research in this area is sparse. Less than a handful of studies have been published.
Psychologist Abby Goldstein at York University conducted a similar experiment to that of the Gambling Clinic. Her analysis of 1,000 juveniles found comparable results. The most monumental being that gambling is more prevalent in inner-city youth and is associated with several risk behaviors, such as lower academic achievement, alcohol use, and general violence.
AN INTRIGUING QUESTION
Barry Mitchell is the chief probation officer at Juvenile Court. According to Mitchell, last year his facility dealt with just 87 gambling-related detentions, well under one-percent of total arrests.
“Gambling is not something we see a lot of. Quite often, it’s in association with another charge,” said Mitchell
Since it’s rare that the detention center deals with such offenses, Mitchell is hesitant to apply gambling as a phantom-cause to juvenile crime.
“My gut feeling is I doubt that it’s an indicator that someone (participating in gambling) would get involved in going out and shooting somebody or breaking into a house.”
What we do know is that juvenile crime continues to blossom in this city. It’s the ultimate desire of Reverend Gillespie and others like him to completely eradicate this growing plague.
Until then, Gillespie will be make his Sunday pilgrimages through Shelby Farms in his Ford truck, accelerating down the road, driving with a purpose -- to transform the future of this city.