'The 13- to... 16-year-olds that are causing [the trouble], you need to fix them, you need to help them be fixed,' said this young speaker. 'Don't just stand there and watch them.' (Global BC)

(Henry) Williams

CREDIT: Nick Procaylo, The Province

Allan Price (right) and Richard Smallboy of Squamish listen to the presentation as youth violence is discussed.

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SQUAMISH -- A teenager told an anti-crime forum last night that teens turn to terror because there is nothing else to do.

"We make trouble because there is nothing else to do," said Brody Woods, 17. "We have no jobs and there are none available.

"I am one of those former youths who used to vandalize your homes. We did it because we have nothing else to do."

Woods, her voice breaking with emotion, said: "This is our past and we don't do it anymore. It is the 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds you need to do something about.

"Do it, don't just stand there and talk about it."

The forum was organized by James Miller, the founder and director of End Youth Violence, after three American campers were terrorized in Squamish over the Canada Day long weekend.

One woman said teens on her street are left alone to do drugs and stay out all night.

"Where are the police when we need to deal with these kids," asked Sheila Kirkpatrick.

"They are roving in packs around town, smashing out lights with their skateboards. You phone the police and nobody arrives. What is going on?"

She told the 200 at the meeting about her Halloween horror.

"They threw firecrackers on a man, right on his face," she said. "It was very scary.

"This is a problem around here.

"There are at least 25 to 30 of them. They smash bottles, kick out windshields and nobody is doing anything.

"And here we are 35 minutes away from the Olympics. The world is looking at us."

Some residents said the meeting was the first step toward dealing with the problem.

"I'm hoping it is the first step in a long chain of events," said Henry Williams, 53, a Squamish band peacekeeper.

"Until the community addresses what is happening to our youth you can't fix it," he said.

RCMP Cpl. Pierre Lemaitre said he can empathize with the teens in Squamish. But he didn't respond to allegations that police ignore pleas for help.

"I have seen youths who have nothing to do in every community around this province," he said. "What you people are doing is so important. You need open dialogue."

Miller said he has heard from a lot of Squamish teens through his website.

"Ninety-nine per cent of the teens we are hearing from in this community want to make sure there's a positive image coming out of here," he said.

jcolebourn@png.canwest.com