Keeping teenagers occupied during the summer is more than justfor their entertainment value, local authorities say. It keeps themout of trouble as well.

Local law enforcement officials say petty crime goes up quite abit in the summer when school is out and kids are left to their owndevices.

“I don’t have any statistics, but it does go up,” said LincolnCounty Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Johnny Hall, adding thatpetty theft and house burglary are two of the bigger crimesofficials contend with in the county.

Sheriff Steve Rushing said part of the reason teens findmischief when they’re out of school is simply boredom.

“They have a lot of time on their hands, and getting intotrouble is something to do,” he said. “It’s important to havesomething to do to keep them active.”

Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson said the biggest problemhis officers face when the school doors are shut is loitering. Hesaid his officers spend a good bit of time breaking up groups ofkids just “hanging out.”

“There are just more kids on the streets, and they’re hangingaround in parking lots and those sorts of things,” Henderson said.”We’re constantly having to move them out of parking lots.”

Hall said essentially that idle hands are the devil’sworkshop.

“If they’re sitting at home, some of them’ll get wild ideas,” hesaid. “Then they end up in trouble.”

Sometimes that trouble leads to time in jail or in a juvenilecenter. How the teen is incarcerated, if it comes to that, is basedon the magnitude of the crime and if there’s a prior record,officials said.

Hall said teen offenders are sent to the holding facility inPike County pending youth court.

The best way to avoid potential problems is to enroll childrenin a summer program of some description, police said.

“Get them involved in a community activity of some sort,”Rushing said. “Your church may have something, or other communityservices in the area.”

Henderson agreed, saying that while options in the city arelimited, it’s never a bad idea to find a distraction for childrenof all ages with nothing to do.

“We’re limited in Brookhaven as to what kind of activities areavailable,” he said. “The community needs to work on programs tokeep them involved.”

Brookhaven Recreation Department Program Director KarenHarveston said there are some activities available through BRD forteenagers, but that many teens who participate in their activitiesas children get older and begin working during the summer.

“Tennis and gymnastics, they can sign up for those things,”Harveston said. “We’ve even had some in the ballet workshop.Usually if they’re 16 or up they’re working.”

Henderson said it’s a good idea for parents to help theirchildren begin the job search early.

“One of the biggest problems I see is that kids don’t know notto wait until after school is out to try to get jobs,” he said.

But, Harveston said, since many who are athletically inclinedare doing summer athletic camps through their schools, there isn’ta lot available for teenagers. There are still ways they can playan important part and be involved in summer programs.

“There’s really not a whole lot to do for them. If I had a16-year-old or so, I’d try to get them working as an umpire or acoach or a score keeper,” she said.

Other ideas include getting bored teenagers involved withcharity organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, a local foodpantry, or the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League, officials said.

Henderson said, too, that the catch-22 lies in the fact thatsome kids want to use summer break for just what it’s supposed tobe: A break.

“Kids that play football or other sports will keep themselvesinvolved and busy, but a lot of these kids want a break,” he said.”I don’t know what to tell them except to try to find somethingpositive to do.”

In addition, Rushing said, it’s important for parents to beinvolved with their kids. Knowing where they are and who they’rewith isn’t a bad idea either.

“Keep a location on them, and make sure they’re in the rightcrowd,” he said. “Peer pressure really does get a lot of kids introuble that might not have been there otherwise.”