As a parent, you might ask: “Why should my child take an education program?” “How could any kind of program help my child more than what we have done already.”
To answer these questions, let us ask you a question:
Why Did He/She Steal?
The answer from the vast majority of juveniles is: “I don’t really know”. Sometimes it is because they want nice things, didn’t want to spend the money, felt pressured by friends, wanted to fit-in but felt unworthy, not attractive or not accepted, or were depressed, frustrated, confused, angry or bored. Maybe they just wanted to see if they could get away with it or were mad at the world and wanted to strike back.
Whatever the reason for your child, over our long history, we have come to understand that the act of shoplifting is largely a symptom and a signal to you that there are underlying issues in your child’s life which are causing him/her to feel excessive stress, fear or emotional pain, usually related to school, friends or the situation at home. For kids, the need to relieve their discomfort creates an impulse to act in this way.
After impulsively taking their first item and “getting away with it”, juveniles often find some temporary satisfaction or relief from their internal personal stress, even though they know right from wrong and may also have felt ashamed and afraid.
The value of the item taken is never the issue because shoplifting is not about the item, it’s about the act of stealing.
The Y.E.S. Program will help bring your child a new understanding about shoplifting in a very different way than he/she was probably told by friends. It will explain how he/she impulsively makes these kinds of decisions and will highlight the true impact shoplifting has on his/her self-respect and daily life so that he/she can immediately learn how to make better decisions for himself/herself. It will help to change the thinking, feelings, and attitudes your child now holds which allowed him/her to shoplift and will reduce his/her risk of shoplifting and getting arrested in the future.
Enrolling in the Y.E.S. Program
Your child’s enrollment in the Y.E.S. Program is strictly confidential. The program is an easy to complete online program done in the privacy of your own home.
Upon successful completion of the program, NASP will send you a Completion Letter with recommendations and an offer of added support in the future anytime you may feel your child needs it.
If your child has a charge pending with the court, his/her completion of the Y.E.S. Program will demonstrate to the judge that he/she has taken responsibility for his/her actions by taking an education program, to help ensure that he/she never has another incident in the future. This can only help your child’s court case.
There is a cost of $75 for the Y.E.S. Program. If you have difficulty enrolling your child, call us (toll-free) at 1-800-848-9595 (between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Eastern Time).
All program material sent to your child will not be identified as coming from the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, but rather from NASP. All credit/debit card payments will appear on your statement as NASP.
