I read a long time ago that both men and dogs do better with gentle and comfortable training than with harsh. If you want to have tough, reliable, versatile, imaginative, flexible, tenacious soldiers, police officers and police dogs, train with warmth and consideration. The Bible says "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." in Proverbs 13:24. I have heard the statement "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Either version can seem to urge physical punishment to correct behavior, which is a very old approach. Of course, within reason, it can help. However, what is reasonable can be hard to judge.
If there is A correction or negative, it can swiftly and economically improve and train. But if the correction is too harsh or one of a complete thunderstorm of corrections and negatives, spirits will be hurt, drive to succeed impaired, motivation depleted. It is often the parents or the rich or the comfortable who advocate more negatives without realizing the severity or number of negatives already in play.
This morning, I found this in the Annoyed Librarian blog:
Little Police Libraries
December 4, 2013 By Annoyed Librarian
A Kind Reader sent in this article from St. Louis that reports on an unusual crime fighting tactic the local police are taking towards juvenile crime in the Dutchtown neighborhood. In addition to whatever they're normally doing that isn't working, the police are now putting up some of those little free libraries, the little boxes on poles in neighborhoods where people take or leave books. This effort is slightly different: Stickers on the libraries will encourage kids to "Take a Book, Keep a Book." And police officers will be handing out gift certificates to local businesses to children who leave book reports inside the box, said Capt. Dan Howard, who oversees the city's first district. No word on whether they'll be carefully examining those book reports to see if the kids actually read the book, but anything's better than nothing. The police hope this kind of interaction with kids will be better than "all the bad stuff we encounter them for."
I am intrigued by the picture of police officers offering "A Wrinkle in Time" or "The Hungry Caterpillar" to a youngster who has been in trouble, has no one who supports him and could use a lift and an image of a better place. I have to wonder how many adult inmates might be interested in books of appropriate level and assistance in reading.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
