Jonathan Hall Uncovers: Criminal Kids?

Take the case of Shahen Melkonian, who was just 10-years-old when he was nearly arrested at his elementary school last December.

Shahen Melkonian, student
"It was the most scared I've ever been."

What did Shahen do?  He drew a picture in art class at the Thomas Carroll School in Peabody.

Shahen Melkonian, student
"It's just a person sitting in a safe with the dynamite."

The caption?  "I have a bomb on me."  School officials were close to evacuating the school and the police treated this as a serious crime.  Initially, Shahen's parents were not present as he was questioned.

Maria Erenburg, Shahen's mother
"It's terrible.  It's unbelievable.  It was nightmare because I could never imagine that that could be done to a child."

In the end, police decided not to arrest Shahen.  But this letter, written by Peabody's city solicitor, says the police officer who saw the picture determined, "The drawing was a crime."  The town lawyer cites state law, saying it's illegal to "communicate a threat" which causes either "the evacuation or serious disruption of a school."

Shahen Melkonian, student
"I don't think I did wrong because I didn't say the school was going to blow up.  I didn't say that some particular place was going to blow up."

The letter says Peabody school officials were on edge because of three bomb threats weeks earlier.  Shahen got a two-day suspension and his mom says school officials copped out by calling the cops.

Maria Erenburg, mother
"They try to avoid making decisions by themselves.  They put everything on the police."

These days the cuffs come out fast.  Kids are getting arrested for the kinds of things that used to get them detention.

7News has learned that here, at this alternative high school in Marlborough, a boy was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for throwing an apple.

The apple caper - which happened last spring - is pending in the courts.

Criminal charges are filed against thousands of Bay State students every year.  And one judge feels things have gone too far.

Judge Jay Blitzman, Lowell Juvenile Court
"From my viewpoint as a judge, I might see a case and I might think, "What am I, the principal?"

It's almost unheard of for a judge to criticize the system, but Juvenile Court Judge Jay Blitzman feels he must.

Judge Jay Blitzman, Lowell Juvenile Court
"You hear cases about a child that threw an apple, a child who threw a juice box or a cookie..."

Post-Columbine, schools are under pressure to tighten security.  And towns like Somerset have a Zero-Tolerance policy for school crime.

Officer David Pelletier, Somerset Police
"They don't call me in on a whim.  They will call me in at times because a student's getting loud.  My presence will de-escalate the student a little bit."

Everyone agrees, school arrests are necessary at times.  But Judge Blitzman wants cases carefully screened before young lives are impacted.  And Shahen?  He's very careful about what he draws now.

You're probably lucky you were only 10 years-old, because what if you were 15 or 16?

Shahen Melkonian, student
"They would have arrested me."

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