Turning Kids Into Snitches, Part Two (Connecticut)

We spent a couple hours on this topic last Friday, and Erik posted on the subject here. Now Connecticut has its own case of teenage informants … only this time its gone horribly wrong, for the officials. No the student was not paid … but he was put in danger.

East Harford police say an assistant principal at East Hartford Middle School has been arrested on charges of risk of injury to a minor and tampering with a witness.  Police charge 37 year old Amy Watson and a school security officer asked a student to buy drugs from another student,  in an effort to catch the seller in illegal activity.

OK, this is different than just asking kids to send tips through text but as I see it, both are essentially asking kids to act as drug enforcement agents. Here’s the video from CNN last week detailing how Suffolk, New York has decided to pay teenagers $500 for drug dealing tips and make sure you read Erik’s post on how this is dangerous in oh so many ways. “Risk of injury” is an understatement, and why this kind of activity is illegal in Connecticut and should be in New York as well.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXYTY46hjXk

I may have this all wrong but then here’s an opportunity to disagree with me for sure.


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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

1 Comment

  1. Darlene on May 11, 2009 at 11:37 am

    I wouldn't go as far as to say they are the same.  But one thing is certain, both situations put kids at risk.   And that is what makes this a crime!



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