Children's Advocate Mary Clarke (right) chats with Rev. Courtney Stewart, general secretary of the Bible Society of the West Indies, and Chantal Aaron, student of St. Hugh's High School, St. Andrew, during yesterday's launch of the National Bible Quiz at the Knutsford Court hotel, New Kingston. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

A CALL has been made for more parents to get their children involved in Sunday school and other church-related activities, as part of the ongoing effort to cut the nation's rising crime rate and juvenile delinquency.

Children's Advocate Mary Clarke said yesterday there was a need for the mindset of the Jamaican youth to be revolutionised in order to combat the deteriorating moral values affecting the country.

Her appeal came a day before the annual National Leadership Prayer Breakfast, to be held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, during which the country's leaders come together to seek God's guidance on national affairs.

"Research has confirmed the importance of church attendance in children," she said.

Mrs. Clarke said research conducted among 11 year olds showed that church attendance was among the factors that contributed to positive social behaviour in youngsters.

"It is in Sunday school and through the study of the Bible that children are provided with a moral compass," the Children's Advocate said, while speaking at the launch of the National Bible Quiz at the Knutsford Court hotel, New Kingston.

"This helps to develop their conscience, they are provided with teachings and examples to understand actions and related consequences of actions," she added.

Mrs. Clarke said an increasing number of young people are spending time behind bars and in correctional facilities, and that this indicates there is something devastatingly wrong in the society.

"Looking back at the statistics for the juvenile correctional centres in Jamaica in the 1990s, I found that, year after year, they were operating below capacity," she said. "Now we have to be building a new centre in Montpelier to cope with the increase of children in the criminal justice system."

Statistics released in 2007 by the Correctional Services showed that, up to September last year, juveniles in correctional centres stood at 402 persons. The figures had soared from 189 in 2001.

Respect for creator, others

Yesterday, psychologist Dr. Leahcim Semaj told The Gleaner there was a severe need for more active pro-social behaviour to which parents can expose their children. The Church, he said, was one such institution.

"It's the only institution that consistently talks about love and respect for the creator and for others. The Church teaches about the Ten Commandments - that there are rules that govern life. There are very few institutions that are set up to do that," he argued.

Bishop Stanley Clarke, chairman of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast committee, said if young people were exposed to the teachings of the Bible, and began to internalise and accept them, then Jamaica would see a drastic fall in crime and violence.

Bishop Clarke told The Gleaner that among the issues that will be prayed for at today's National Leadership Prayer Breakfast are that Jamaicans will return to the core values of love for God and others and a respect for the rule of law