By Alvin W. Cohn, D. Crim.
President, Administration of Justice Services
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
A recent re-design offers a user-friendly layout, adjustable font size, and access to JUSTINFO, the service’s bi-weekly e-newsletter
that features announcements from NJCRS’ federal sponsors, including OJJDP. Its Juvenile Justice page features publications, related links, and Q & A on topics affecting children and youth. See: www.ncjrs.gov.
Juvenile Offenders National Report
OJJDP recently released a thorough compendium of data about youth in the country, its 2006 National Report. The publication offers more than 110 one-to two-page “snapshots” on such topics as school dropouts, victimization risk factors, time-of-day analysis of juvenile offending, police dispositions of juvenile arrests, offense profiles by gender, and lengths of stay for juveniles in custody. Among some of the findings:
- The nation’s juvenile population is rising at a rate consistent with the projected growth of the general population and is expected to grow by 36 percent from 2000 to 2020. The proportion of youth from birth to age 17 in the population should remain constant through 2050, at about 25 percent.
- Between 1998 and 2003, the number of children entering foster care remained fairly stable, while the number exiting increased slightly. An estimated 530,000 children were in foster care on September 30, 2002, which was seven percent fewer than on that day in 1999.
- Of the 385,400 delinquency cases adjudicated in 2002, 62 percent resulted in orders for formal probation, and 23 percent resulted in orders to place youths in residential facilities—a 44 percent increase in placement orders since 1985.
- The juvenile custody rate on October 22, 2003 (“census day”) was 307 offenders in custody for every 100,000 youth in the general population. Although 60 percent of juvenile facilities in 2003 were privately operated, 60 percent of juvenile offenders were housed in public facilities. The number of delinquent youth in public facilities rose 36 percent from 1991 to 1999, then dropped 13 percent by 2003. The number in private facilities rose 95 percent from 1991 to 1999 and declined four percent from 1999 to 2003.
- In 2002, the number of homicides committed by juveniles dropped to its lowest level since 1984. Between 1994 and 2002, the number of murders involving juvenile offenders declined 65 percent.
National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest
OJJDP is sponsoring this year’s National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest for the 11th Anniversary of AMBER Alert Program. This year’s theme is “Bring Our Missing Children Home.” Held annually, this contest challenges 5th grade students to develop artwork that represents America’s goal to bring missing children home safely. The winning poster is displayed at the National Missing Children’s Day ceremony, which will be held May 23, 2007. For more information about the Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, visit http://dept.fvtc.edu/ojjdp/postercontest.html.
New Tribal Justice and Safety Web Site
The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced the launch of a new Tribal Justice and Safety Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/tribaljusticeandsafety. The Internet home page will be a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and communities, and will help the general public and other federal agencies to better understand the resources available for improving safety in Native American communities. The site serves as a single source of information about courts, corrections, law enforcement, crime statistics, crime prevention, legal and other public safety issues. It also provides a resource for tribal communities to solicit information about how the Department can meet their informational, training, and funding needs.
OJJDP Fact Sheets Feature Juvenile Court Statistics
OJJDP has published the following online fact sheets highlighting selected statistics on juvenile court cases:
- “Delinquency Cases in Juvenile Court, 2002”
- “Person Offenses in Juvenile Court, 1985–2002”
- “Juvenile Delinquency Probation Caseload, 1985–2002”
“Person Offenses in Juvenile Court, 1985–2002” at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/ PubAbstract.asp?pubi=238068.
“Juvenile Delinquency Probation Caseload, 1985–2002” at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/ PubAbstract.asp?pubi=238069.
Suicide Rates
Suicide rates among young people and senior citizens have fallen by at least 25 percent since the introduction of antidepressants such as Prozac, but have declined much less in other age groups, as reported in the American Journal of Public Health. Suicides among people ages 15 to 24 have fallen 25 percent since 1988 and the rate among people over age 65 fell 26 percent. Suicides among people ages 25 to 64 fell less than 10 percent. The study, which examined census data from 1970 to 2002 and mortality reports from the National Center for Health Statistics, found no clear overall trend before 1988.
The number of student suicides approximates 1,100 a year nationwide and suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, after motor vehicle accidents
Synopsis Highlights School Crime Study
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has published “Synopsis of Crime in Schools and Colleges: A Study of National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) Data.” The synopsis previews the forthcoming study, which will draw on NIBRS data to examine characteristics of offenders and arrestees involving crimes at schools and colleges. As noted in the synopsis, 69 percent of school crime-related offenders reported during the 2000–2004 study period were between the ages of 13–18, while 77 percent were males. To access “Synopsis of Crime in Schools and Colleges,” visit http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/schoolviolence.pdf.
Teenage Deaths
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2000, there were 8.2 deaths per 100,000 teenagers ages 15 to 19, compared with 12.8 deaths per 100,000 for individuals ages 20 to 24. The national rate of suicide is 10.6 deaths per 100,000 people. Firearms account for 10 percent of the deaths of children ages five to 14 and for every child killed, three others are injured.
Snapshot of Mentoring
MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership has published “Mentoring in America 2005: A Snapshot of the Current State of Mentoring.” In 2002, MENTOR conducted a national poll that measured the attitudes, motivations, and behaviors of active and potential mentors. In 2005, working with a group of advisors led by Dr. Jean Rhodes, University of Massachusetts, Boston, and Dr. David DuBois, University of Illinois at Chicago, MENT OR conducted a second poll to assess the state of mentoring in America. Among its key findings detailed in the report are the following:
- Since 2002, three million adults have had formal, one-to-one mentoring relationships with young people, an increase of 19 percent from the first poll.
- The overwhelming majority (96 percent) of current mentors would recommend it to others.
- Some 44 million adults who are not currently mentoring a young person would seriously consider it.
To access “Mentoring in America 2005,” visit http://www.mentoring.org/leaders/files/pollreport.pdf.
Underage Drinking by College Students
Drawing on data from its National Survey on Drug Use & Health (NSDUH), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has released “The NSDUH Report: Underage Alcohol Use Among Full-time College Students.” According to the report, rates of past month, binge, and heavy alcohol use remained steady from 2002 to 2005. Based on combined data from the 2002 to 2005 surveys, 58 percent of full-time college students who were underage for legal drinking used alcohol in the past month, 40 percent engaged in binge drinking, and 17 percent engaged in heavy drinking.
Day Care
Number of children age five who receive day care from a relative (by household income), according to the Department of Education:
| $25,000 or less | 1.3 million |
| $25,000–$50,000 | 1.2 million |
| $50,000–$75,000 | 824,000 |
| $75,000–$100,000 | 462,000 |
| $101,000 or more | 564,000 |
Trends in Youth Violence
The Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago has published “Too Soon To Tell: Deciphering Recent Trends in Youth Violence.” Written by Drs. Jeffrey A. Butts, Research Fellow, Chapin Hall Center for Children, and Howard N. Snyder, Director of Systems Research, National Center for Juvenile Justice, the issue brief draws on data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports to assess recent crime trends among youth. To access the issue brief, visit http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1437&L2=61&L3=132.
Violence in Teen Relationships
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2003 report, the following are percentages of high school students who said their boyfriend or girlfriend had hit, slapped, or physically hurt them on purpose in the past 12 months (by grade):
| 9th | 8.1% |
| 10th | 8.8% |
| 11th | 8.1% |
| 12th | 10.1% |
Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice
The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice has released a series of issue briefs that present findings from the Network’s past and ongoing research. The briefs address such topics as:
- adolescent legal competence
- pathways to desistance for serious juvenile offenders
- youth culpability and criminal blameworthiness
- assessing juvenile psychopathy
- transfer of adolescents to adult criminal court.
To access these youth-related research briefs, visit http://www.adjj.org/content/page.php?cat_id=2&content_id=28.
Cases Handled by Youth Courts
The American Bar Association (ABA) and OJJDP have announced the release of Youth Cases for Youth Courts: A Guide to the Typical Offenses Handled by Youth Courts.” Published by ABA with funding from OJJDP and others, this desktop guide provides community leaders with helpful information that equips them to address questions critical to the effective implementation of youth courts.Numbers—Data covering the period 1996–2001 and published in America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being:
- 86 percent of adolescents living with their married, biological parents who were reported to be in excellent or very good health.
- 80 percent of adolescents living with a married stepparent who reported excellent or very good health.
- 76 percent of adolescents living with a single parent who reported excellent or very good health.
- 67 percent of adolescents who were living with neither parent who reported excellent or very good health.
Youth and Conservatism
It might surprise their parents, but in the age of graphic lyrics and violent video games, American children entering their teens remain very cautious about sex and dating and still trust their parents and church, according to Time magazine. Time reports that 60 percent of the 500 13-year-olds surveyed are against sex before marriage, and 63 percent believe they are too young to date at their age.
E-tool Assists in Implementing Juvenile Graduated Sanctions
Developed under a cooperative agreement between OJJDP and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, this e-tool provides for a valuable online resource for those concerned with juvenile graduated sanctions. This e-tool presents programs and intervention strategies that work within each of the following sanctioning levels:
- immediate
- intermediate
- community confinement
- secure confinement
- aftercare.
Detailed program descriptions and contact information enable users to connect juveniles and their families to the services they need. To access this juvenile graduated sanctions e-tool, visit www.ncjfcj.org/content/view/752/456/.
Student Safety
In 2003, nearly all students ages 12 to 18 observed the presence of one or more of selected security measures at their schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics:
| 1999 | 2001 | 2003 |
| Percentage of students reporting security measures | ||
| 9 | 8.7 | 10.1 |
| Security guards and/or assigned police officerss | ||
| 54.1 | 63.6 | 69.6 |
| Other school staff or other adult supervision in the hallway | ||
| 85.4 | 88.3 | 90.6 |
| Locked entrance or exit door during the day | ||
| 38.1 | 48.8 | 52.8 |
| A requirement that visitors sign in | ||
| 87.1 | 90.2 | 91.7 |
Youth Unemployment
The number of young people unemployed in developing countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific has shot up 85.5 percent in the last decade, leaving 9.5 million youths between the ages of 15 and 24 out of work, according to the U.N.’s International Labor Organization. The increase vastly outpaced the global average increase of 14.8 percent. The global youth work force is expected to grow by another 24 million by 2015, with nearly half or 11 million in Southeast Asia or the Pacific alone.
Child Support
The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has prepared a tool kit to support state efforts to improve the effectiveness of the review and adjustment process in the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) system. Entitled Automated Systems for Child Support Enforcement: A Guide for Enhancing Review and Adjustment Automation, the tool kit provides valuable information for analyzing and developing system enhancements related to the review and adjustment process along with detailed case studies. The tool kit includes the following information and analysis and design aides:
- Level of automation initiative overview
- History of review and adjustment
- Federal legislation, regulations, and certification guide requirement related to the review and adjustment process
- Comparison of review and adjustment enhanced automation
- Discussion guide
- Good practices
- Case studies.
The guide is available online at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/stsys/tab11.htm.
Safe Kids/Safe Streets Program
OJJDP announces the availability of “Lessons Learned From Safe Kids/Safe Streets.” This bulletin reports results from an evaluation of OJJDP’s Safe Kids/Safe Streets Program, which applies a comprehensive, collaborative approach to child maltreatment. The bulletin’s portrayal of the experiences of participating program sites offers insights into collaboration, system reform, and service options, among other matters.
Tribal Training
Computer-based training courses on child support enforcement are being revised to increase use by tribal support enforcement programs. The revisions will reflect the sovereign status of tribes and the choices by each tribal IV-D program to meet the individual needs of their community and legal system. Under an OCSE contract with Policy Studies, Inc., five courses are under revision: Child Support Enforcement-Orientation, Child Support Enforcement-Locate, Child Support Enforcement-Paternity Establishment, Child Support Enforcement-Enforcing the Order, and Child Support Enforcement-Processing Intergovernmental Child Support Cases. For additional information, contact tbaker@acf.hhs.gov.
Substance Abuse
Nearly 40 percent of teenagers treated for injuries at one hospital had traces of alcohol or illegal drugs in their blood, according to a report by the University of Michigan Health System. Researchers studied 443 patients ages 14 to 17 who were admitted to the University of Michigan’s hospital for treatment of a severe injury between 1999 and 2003. They found that 29 percent tested positive for opiates such as heroin or opium, 11.2 percent for alcohol, and 20 percent for marijuana.
Drugs in School
Percentage of students grades 9-12 who said someone had offered, sold, or given them an illegal drug at school in the 12 months before the survey (by race/ethnicity), according to the National Center for Education Statistics:
| More than one race | 36.6% |
| Non-white Hispanic | 36.5% |
| Pacific Islander | 34.7% |
| American Indian | 31.3% |
| White | 27.5% |
| Black | 23.1% |
| Asian | 22.5% |
Drop-Out Rates
Recent data from the National Longitude Survey of Youth reveal that, based on a nationally representative sample of about 9,000 young people who were interviewed annually over a seven-year period, 10 percent had dropped out of school at age 17. At age 18, 15 percent of youths had dropped out of school, 28 percent were still enrolled in high school, 22 percent had graduated from high school and were not in college, and 35 percent had graduated from high school and were enrolled in college. Among students who were high school drop-outs at age 17, 15 percent had enrolled in or completed high school one year later, including two percent who were enrolled in college. Among 18-year-olds who were not in college, 60 percent were employed and four percent were in the armed forces.
Graduation Rates
A Manhattan Institute study, Leaving Boys Behind: Public High School Graduation Rates, reports that white females have the highest graduation rate nationwide for the school year ended in 2003, at 79 percent. White males’ rate was 74 percent, followed by Asian females at 73 percent, and Asian males at 70 percent. Overall for 2003, the graduation rate was 72 percent for girls and 65 percent for boys. Hispanic girls led their male counterparts by 58 percent to 49 percent; while black females graduated at a rate of 59 percent compared to black males at 48 percent. The Economic Policy Institute reports that the overall graduation rate is 82 percent with nearly 75 percent of minority students graduating with their class or soon thereafter
Teens and Careers According to USA Today, the following are careers teens are considering most:
| Arts | 30% |
| Medicine/Health | 28% |
| Engineering | 26% |
| Law | 24% |
| Business | 23% |
| Teaching | 21% |
| Science | 21% |
| Communications | 13% |
Federal Government Careers
More than half of all upperclassmen and engineering graduate students in a survey of six universities, according to the Partnership for Public Service, indicate they don’t know much about careers in federal government, but almost half said they were interested. They cited bureaucracy as the main reason that would deter them from working for the government. Data include: Percentage of students who said they are knowledgeable about career and internship opportunities in the federal government:
| Not too | 39 |
| Somewhat | 34 |
| Not at all | 15 |
| Very | 9 |
| Extremely | 4 |
Percentage of students who said they were very interested in working for the following categories of employers:
| Large private-sector companies | 49 |
| Small private-sector companies | 42 |
| Federal government | 42 |
| Nonprofit organizations | 40 |
| State government | 28 |
| Local government | 20 |
| Military | 10 |
Special Project Bulletins—OJJDP announces the availability of three Special Project Bulletins developed by the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) with support from OJJDP. The Special Project Bulletin series is produced by NCJJ’s Technical Assistance to the Juvenile Court Project. The three new bulletins are:
- “Guide to the State Juvenile Justice Profiles”—guides users through the layout and content of the State Juvenile Justice Profiles Web site.
- “The Importance of Timely Case Processing in Non-Detained Juvenile Delinquency Cases”—lists seven steps for achieving timely court processing, a key principle of the “Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines,” and describes promising practices and programs that help courts speed up case processing of non-detained delinquency cases.
- “How Does the Juvenile Justice System Measure Up? Applying Performance Measures in Five Jurisdictions”—presents a case for measuring and reporting juvenile justice system performance outcomes and describes six essential features of a strategy for measuring juvenile justice performance.
To access the above and other Special Project Bulletins, visit http://ncjj.servehttp.com/NCJJWebsite/publications/serial/ taspecial.htm. A limited number of hard copies are available.
Marketing of Alcohol on Youth-Oriented Media—According to a report on a recent study conducted by researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, approximately half the alcohol advertising on radio aired during programs in which the audience was youth-oriented (i.e., composed disproportionately of persons 12 to 20 years old). Published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the report also notes that advertisements on such programs accounted for nearly three quarters of all youth exposure to alcohol advertising. For further information about the study and its findings, see the CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5534a3.htm.
Juvenile Runaways
The Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) has produced an 86-page guide that describes the problem of runaways, reviews risk factors, and identifies questions designed to help communities analyze their runaway problem. The guide also reviews research and police practices. See: www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1964.
Juvenile Victims
Juveniles of all ages are the victims of violent crimes. Some youth—young children, in particular—are the victims of abuse and neglect at the hands of caregivers and family members. “Juvenile Offenders and Victims 2006 National Report” summarizes what is known about the prevalence and incidence of juvenile victimizations. To view the above described summary, visit http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/nr2006/downloads/chapter2.pdf. To access the complete report, visit http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=234394.
Community-Based Learning
Research conducted by the Coalition for Community Schools shows that as many as six in 10 students are disengaged from learning. Research suggests that these students can be re-engaged by involving them in community-based learning—an approach that brings together the strategies of service learning, place-based education, environment-based education, civic education, work-based learning, and academically-based community service. A report describes the shared characteristics of community-based learning and summarizes the academic, civic, moral, personal, social, and work-related outcomes of various community-based learning strategies. See: www.communityschools.org/CCSDocuments/CBLFinal.pdf.
Youth Courts
More than 1,100 youth courts in 49 states and Washington are all listed in this up-to-date, online directory provided by the National Youth Court Center. The Center’s main site includes links to publications, online training for adult and youth volunteers, and information for new youth court coordinators. See: www.youthcourt.net/national_listing/ overview.htm.
Youth Court Legislation The National Youth Court Center has issued “An Update on Teen Court Legislation.” Published with support from OJJDP, the 12-page bulletin offers an overview of youth court legislation in the U.S. Thus, it provides a helpful resource for states contemplating revising or drafting such legislation. “An Update on Teen Court Legislation” is available online at http://www.youthcourt.net/publications/paper.pdf.
Substance Abuse Directory
This electronic version of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration guide to local drug and alcohol treatment programs provides information on nearly 11,000 programs in all 50 states; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; and four U.S. territories. The directory is organized by state and includes such information as the level of care offered and areas of service specialization. See: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov.
Mental Health Needs of Youth
The National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice has published a series of research and program briefs on issues related to youth with mental health needs in contact with the juvenile justice system. The series includes:
- “Blueprint for Change: Improving the System Response to Youth with Mental Health Needs Involved with the Juvenile Justice System.” This brief provides an overview of the Center’s report “Blueprint for Change: A Comprehensive Model for the Identification and Treatment of Youth with Mental Health Needs in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System.” The report details the results of the largest mental health project to date funded by the OJJDP.
- “Juvenile Diversion: Programs for Justice- Involved Youth with Mental Health Disorders.” This brief offers an overview of juvenile diversion for youth with mental health disorders, reviewing key findings from a Center survey of diversion programs and reviewing promising program models.
- “Juvenile Mental Health Courts: An Emerging Strategy.” This brief summarizes the results of a recent Center survey of juvenile mental health courts, and discusses some key issues surrounding the growing use of these courts.
- “Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study.” This brief discusses key findings from a multi-state study of the prevalence of mental health disorders among youth in the juvenile justice system, funded by OJJDP.
To access the above briefs, visit http://www.ncmhjj.com/publications/default.asp. Printed copies may be requested from the National Center for Mental Health in Juvenile Justice at ncmhjj@prainc.com or, toll free, at 866-9NCMHJJ.
Juvenile Residential Facility Census
OJJDP announces the availability of “Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 2002: Selected Findings.” Written by Melissa Sickmund, Senior Research Associate, National Center for Juvenile Justice, this bulletin is part of OJJDP’s National Report series. The bulletin provides statistics on facilities and offenders by state and facility type, as well as national data on aspects of confinement, overcrowding, suicide, mental health screening, and deaths in custody. Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 2002: Selected Findings” is available online only at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=232342.
Out-of-School Time Programs
The American Youth Policy Forum has published “Helping Youth Succeed Through Out-of-School Time.” The National Institute on Out-of-School Time defines “out-of-school time” as encompassing “a wide range of program offerings for young people that take place before school, after school, on weekends, and during the summer and other school breaks.” The report reviews current research and literature on out-of-school time programs, explores a range of such programs and activities, considers their capacity to meet the needs of young people, and provides policy guidance on how to support and sustain high-quality out-of-school time programs. “Helping Youth Succeed Through Out-of-School Time” is available online at http://www.aypf.org/publications/HelpingYouthOST2006. pdf.
Resources for Youth Development
Published by America’s Promise, a coalition of communities, organizations, businesses, and individuals supporting youth development programs, the “Guide to Federal Resources for Youth Development” provides information on federal funds available to support youth development programs. The guide lists more than 100 federal programs, including programs from the U.S. Department of Justice, which are cross-referenced to five core resources regarded as crucial to effective youth development. The “Guide to Federal Resources for Youth Development” is available online at http://www.americaspromise.org/partners/federal_funding_guidelines.pdf.
Drug Abuse Treatment Recommendations
The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released a landmark scientific report showing that effective treatment of drug abuse and addiction can save communities money and reduce crime. Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations outlines some of the proven components from successful treatment of drug abusers who have entered the criminal justice system. The comprehensive report offers 13 principles based on a review of the scientific literature on drug abuse treatment and criminal behavior. Examples are that drug addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior, that recovery requires effective individualized treatment that may include medication, and that continuity of care is essential for drug abusers reentering the community after a period of incarceration.
See: (NCADI# BKD 550) or www. drugabuse.gov.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners
The Family and Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, administers a grant program called Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP). Its mission is to train adult volunteers to mentor children and youth whose parents are incarcerated. Approximately 2 million children and youth in the U.S. have at least one parent in a correctional facility. In addition to suffering disruption in the relationship with the parent, these young people often struggle with the economic, social, and emotional burdens of the incarceration. MCP publishes a monthly e-newsletter and provides information about services and resources. To obtain more information, See: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/youthdivision/programs/locate.htm.
College Success
Nearly one in four teachers in urban schools believe that most students would not be successful at a community college or university or be motivated to learn, according to a study conducted at the Southern Connecticut State University. In all, 23.6 percent of public school teachers at all levels say success in college would elude most students, while an additional 18 percent say they aren’t sure. White teachers seem to have the bleakest view: 24.5 percent predict failure in college; higher than among black (22.1 percent) or Hispanic (17.6 percent) teachers. Administrators paint a rosier picture: only seven percent predict the same for their students, but 15.6 percent say their students are not motivated to learn. The researchers also report that part of the problem could be a perceived lack of support from parents: 57 percent of teachers say parents are supportive, but 28 percent say they are not supportive. Other findings:
- One in eight teachers say their school is not a safe place.
- 65.8 percent of black administrators say children are bullied regularly at their school; only 49.3 percent of white administrators
and 29.7 percent of Hispanic administrators say the same.
See: www.nsba.org/cube/whereweteach.
Homework
A new review of research on homework indicates there is no conclusive evidence that homework increases student achievement across the board, according to the National School Boards Association’s Center for Public Education. The study states that students from low-income homes might not benefit as much as those from high-income homes. The possible reasons: the latter have more resources, including computers, and help with their work. Research on the most effective time students should spend on homework is limited, but what is available shows that high school students should put in between 1 ½ and 2 ½ hours; middle school students, less than one hour a night.
See: www.centerforpubliceducation.org.
High School Dropouts
Five of every 100 students enrolled in high school in October 2003 left before October 2004 without completing the program, reports the National Center for Education Statistics. Since 1972, dropout rates have gone down, from 6.1 percent in 1972 to 4.7 percent in 2004, although the decline occurred primarily between 1972 and 1990. Dropping out of high school is related to a number of negative outcomes. For example, the median income of high-school dropouts age 18 and over was $12,184 in 2003, while the median income for those age 18 and over who received diplomas (including GED) was $20,431. According to the report, the West and the South registered higher dropout rates than the Northeast and Midwest—6.1 percent, 5.4 percent, 3.8 percent, and 3.1 percent respectively.
See: www.nces.ed.gov.
Babies and Pneumonia
A new vaccine has slashed pneumonia hospital admissions for U.S. babies and toddlers, according to the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Hospital admission rates for children younger than two fell 39 percent by the end of 2004, compared to rates in the years just before the 2000 debut of the Wueth pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The decline translates to an estimated 41,000 pneumonia hospitalizations prevented for children younger than two in 2004.
Juvenile Justice Programs Assessment
The performance of OJJDP’s Juvenile Justice Programs was recently rated under the federal government’s Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) system. PART was developed in 2002 to assess federal programs in four major areas: purpose/design, strategic planning, management, and results/accountability. Results of the assessment, which have been released on ExpectMore.gov, indicate that OJJDP’s Juvenile Justice Programs are performing with an overall rating of “adequate.” The assessment notes that the programs “compare favorably with other programs focusing on juveniles, delinquency, and crime.” In addition to the overall rating and scores, the ExpectMore.gov report for OJJDP presents updates on program improvement plans, trend data for six performance measures, and detailed responses to each of the twenty-five PART questions.
See: http://www.whitehouse .gov/omb/expectmore/summary/10003813.2006.html.
Juvenile Offending Data
High-profile incidents often shape public perceptions
of juvenile offending. In seeking remedies, it is useful to have an accurate view of the crimes committed by juveniles. “Juvenile
Offenders and Victims 2006 National Report” provides a review of data from diverse sources that shed light on the proportion and characteristics of youth involved in law-violating
behaviors and trends in those behaviors.
See: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=234394.
Autism Study
A study of all children born in Denmark in the past decade found marked increases in autism as well as hyperactivity and Tourette’s Syndrome. The report, from Denmark’s University of Aarhus, did not delve into what caused the increases, but noted that numerous other studies had reported increases in recent years. The report indicates that some of the change in autism numbers may be related to greater scrutiny of children for the disorder or perhaps an expanded definition of it. The researchers examined records of 669,995 children born in Denmark between 1990 and 1999.
Approximately one in every 150 children in the U.S. has autism or a closely related disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new data, from 14 states, do not mean that autism is on the rise, because the definitions and criteria used in the past are not identical to those presently used. But the sheer number of children apparently affected—500,000 nationwide if the new statistics are extrapolated to all 50 states—makes autism an urgent public health issue.
For information about the Interactive Autism Network, see www.ianproject.org.
Child Care
Children who got quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did youngsters who received lower quality care. Also, the more time children spent in child care, the more likely their sixth-grade teachers were to report problem behavior. The findings come from the largest study of child care and development conducted in the U.S. The 1,364 children in the analysis had been tracked since birth as part of a study by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers reported that the increase in vocabulary and problem behaviors was small and that parenting quality was a much more important factor. In the study, child care was defined as care by anyone other than the child’s mother who was regularly scheduled for at least 10 hours a week.
Software Benefits on Tests
Educational software, a $2 billion-a-year industry, has no significant impact on student performance, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Education. The technology— ranging from snazzy video-game-like programs played on Sony PlayStations to more rigorous drilling exercises used on computers—has been embraced by low-performing schools as an easy way to boost student test scores. The study, mandated by Congress when it passed the No Child Left Behind law in 2002, evaluated 15 reading and math products used by 9,424 students in 132 schools across the country during the 2004-2005 school year. The findings reveal that there are no statistically significant differences on test scores between students who used the software and those who did not.
Preventing Youth Drug Use Guide
The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institute on Drug Abuse has released a second edition of “Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders.” The new edition includes information on risk factors for youth drug abuse, guidance on planning community drug abuse prevention programs, and descriptions of core elements of effective prevention programs.
See: http://www.drugabuse.gov/Prevention/ Prevopen.html. A free print copy of the guide may be ordered at http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalogNIDA/ or by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug information, toll-free, at 1-800-729-6686.
UNICEF Child Welfare Survey
The U.S. and Britain ranked at the bottom of a U.N. survey of child welfare in 21 wealthy countries that assessed subjects ranging from infant mortality to whether children ate dinner with their parents or were bullied at school. The Netherlands, followed by Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, finished at the top of the rankings, while the U.S. was 20th and Britain 21st. Researchers explain that U.S. and British children fared worse despite high overall levels of national wealth due to greater economic inequality, poverty, and poor levels of public support for families. The study also gave low marks to the two countries for their higher incidences of single-parent families and risky behaviors among children, such as drinking alcohol and sexual activity. On average, 80 percent of the children in the countries surveyed lived with both parents, with only 60 percent in the U.S. The U.S. finished last in the health and safety category, based on infant mortality, vaccinations for childhood diseases, deaths from injuries and accidents before age 19, and whether children reported fighting in the past year or being bullied in the previous two months.
Residential Placement Data
Users of Easy Access to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement can create tables displaying national data from the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, which can be imported into spreadsheets for further analysis. This latest addition to the Easy Access family of tools is an integral part of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Statistical Briefing Book, which provides online information about juvenile crime and victimization and youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Other recent updates have also been made to the Briefing Book.
Cyberbullying
- 90 percent of middle-school students have had their feelings hurt online.
- 75 percent have visited a Web site bashing another student.
- 40 percent have had their passwords stolen and changed by a bully (who then locked them out of their own account or sent communications posing as them).
- Only 15 percent of parents polled knew what cyberbullying was.
- Use technology as an opportunity to reinforce your family values; attach rules for use of technology, such as cell phones and computers.
- Move the computer out of your child’s bedroom and into the family room.
- Teach your child not to share passwords.
- Install monitoring and filtering software, such as k9webprotection.com and safefamilies.org.
- Monitor your child’s screen name(s) and Web sites for inappropriate content.
- Save and print out any evidence if your child is cyberbullied. See: wiredsafety.org.
Underage Drinking
Acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., has called on citizens to do more to keep America’s 11 million underage drinkers from continuing to use alcohol and to stop other youth from starting in the first place. Although “research shows that young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life,” Dr. Moritsugu observed, “too many Americans consider underage drinking a rite of passage to adulthood.”
“The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking” offers recommendations for government and school officials, parents, youth, and others concerned about the problem.
See: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/ underagedrinking/
Heavy Drinking
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2004 data reveal heavy drinking among students, in terms of what they say about having had five or more drinks in a row during the previous two weeks:
8th grade—10.9 percent
10th grade—21.9 percent
12th grade—26.5 percent.
Mom’s Multiple Partners
White children are more likely than black children to act out if their mothers have multiple live-in lovers, a Johns Hopkins University study reveals. The two-generation study of a nationally representative sample of 1,965 mothers and their 3,392 kids examined data from 1979, when the mothers were adolescents, and from 2000, when their mothers were adults and their children were ages 5-14. The mothers reported behavior problems about their children, and kids ages 10-14 reported details of delinquent behaviors such as vandalism, theft, and truancy. A relationship was found between a mother’s past delinquent behavior and children’s delinquent behavior. The authors suggest the strength of the extended black family may mediate upheaval caused by the breakup of a marriage or a change in a relationship.
Youth Substance Abuse
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released “State Estimates of Substance Use from the 2004–2005 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.” The report provides state estimates for 23 measures of substance use and mental health problems. According to the report, the use of illicit drugs among youth aged 12 to 17 declined from 10.9 percent in 2003-2004 to 10.3 percent in 2004-2005, while past-month alcohol use decreased from 17.7 to 17.1 percent in the same period.
See: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5state/toc.cfm.
Reclaiming Futures Initiative
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently announced an expansion of its Reclaiming Futures initiative, which assists youth involved with the juvenile justice system who are struggling with drugs and alcohol. The foundation will provide $6.5 million to support Reclaiming Futures’ ten pilot sites for two more years and help new sites implement the model over the next four. The expanded effort will create a national resource center to provide case studies and other data to communities seeking to enhance drug- and alcohol-related services for system-involved youth. Reclaiming Futures will invite applications from communities interested in participating as a pilot site. Successful applicants will be selected in the summer of 2007 and will receive technical assistance, on-site coaching, educational materials, and invitations to national conferences and workshops. Application forms will be posted on the Reclaiming Futures web site in late spring.
See: http://www.reclaimingfutures.org.
Sex Offender Treatment
The Center for Sex Offender Management has published “Understanding Treatment for Adults and Juveniles Who Have Committed Sex Offenses.” The center is a project of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Office of Justice Programs, in collaboration with DOJ’s National Institute of Corrections, the American Probation and Parole Association, and the State Justice Institute. The report provides a broad overview of current research, professional literature, and practice trends related to treating adults and juveniles who have committed sex offenses.
See: http://www.csom.org/pubs/treatment_brief.pdf.
Teen Prescription Drug Abuse
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has published “Teens and Prescription Drugs: An Analysis of Recent Trends on the Emerging Drug Threat.” Recent studies and reports indicate that the intentional abuse by adolescents of such prescription drugs as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives is a growing concern. The ONDCP report examines this emerging threat, which has seen the number of new abusers of prescription drugs, aged 12–17, match the figure for marijuana.
See: http://www.mediacampaign.org/teens/brochure.pdf.
Truancy Reduction Program Tool Kit
OJJDP is offering an online truancy reduction tool kit for communities interested in instituting a truancy reduction program. The tool kit covers such topics as truancy’s extent, causes, and connections to dropping out of school and delinquency, as well as lessons learned from the evaluation of truancy reduction programs. It provides resources and information to guide communities, schools, and parents in addressing the problem of truancy.
See: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=238899.
Working Teens
U.S. youngsters ages 14-18 who work at retail and service jobs during the school year put in an average of 16 hours a week, often at jobs that are dangerous and unsupervised, according to a 2003 study by the University of North Carolina. Researchers found that some of the working conditions described in interviews with a representative sample of 928 teenage workers violated federal law. Thirty-seven percent of those under age 16 reported working after 7 pm on a school night. Despite federal regulations banning teens under age 18 from using certain types of dangerous equipment, such as meat slicers and box crushers, or serving and selling alcohol in places where it is consumed, more than half of the boys and 43 percent of the girls said that they had done work that was prohibited, the study reported.
Juvenile Arrest Data
Written by Howard N. Snyder, Director of Systems Research, National Center for Juvenile Justice, the 12-page bulletin summarizes juvenile arrest data from the FBI’s “Crime in the United States 2004” and analyzes trends. The analysis shows that the juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes in 2004 was at its lowest level since at least 1980, down 49 percent from its 1994 peak.
See: (NCJ 214563) http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=236114.
Print copies may be ordered at http://www.ncjrs.gov/app/publications/alphaList.aspx. For quick access, search by document number.
Decline in Youth Drug Use
According to the Monitoring the Future study, recently released by the University of Michigan, teen drug use has declined by 23 percent since 2001 for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders combined, with reductions in the use of nearly every drug in every drug prevalence category. Approximately 840,000 fewer youth were using illicit drugs in 2006 than in 2001. Monitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. The study is funded under a series of investigator-initiated competing research grants from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse and is being conducted at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.
See: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/.
Assessment Anomaly—High school grade-point averages have increased over the past 15 years, according to the Nation’s Report Card. The overall grade-point average by year of high school graduation includes:
1990—2.68
1994—2.79
1998—2.90
2000—2.94
2005—2.98
However, only 35 percent of 12th-graders scored at or above proficient on the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test. The 2005 reading achievement-level results include:
At or above basic—73 percent
At or above proficient—35 percent
Advanced—5 percent
Educational Success
According to a USA Today report, the following is the percentage of women ages 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree:
1985—16.5 percent
2005—27 percent
State Juvenile Justice Legislation
The National Juvenile Defender Center has released the “2006 State Juvenile Justice Legislation Review.” The review examines juvenile justice legislation by issue and state and enables users to analyze changes in the law and trends in legislative activity at the national and state levels.
See: http://www.njdc.info/pdf/2006%20State%20JJ%20Legislation.pdf.
School-Based Partnerships
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announces the availability of “School-Based Partnerships: A Problem-Solving Strategy.” The COPS Office funded the School-Based Partnerships grant program for the purpose of partnering law enforcement agencies with schools to address crime and disorder problems in and around middle and high schools. The report focuses on three school-based partnership sites and their use of the SARA (Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment) problem-solving process to address specific issues in their schools: students and teachers feeling threatened, illegal drug sales, and truancy.
See: (NCJ 216230) http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1920.
Juvenile Information Sharing
OJJDP announces the availability of “Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing.” This online report outlines a course of action for States and local jurisdictions involved in efforts to improve information sharing among key agencies that work with at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. The guidelines integrate the three critical components of juvenile information sharing—collaboration, confidentiality, and technology—into an effective developmental framework.
See: (NCJ 215786) http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=237372.
Violence in Public Schools
According to the U.S. Department of Education School Survey on Crime and Safety, 2004, of the U.S.’s 80,454 public schools, the percentage that reported violent incidents, by school level, in 2003-04:
Primary—74 percent
Middle—94 percent
High—96 percent
Combined schools—85 percent
Violent incidents include rape, or sexual battery, physical attack or fight with or without
a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
Uninsured Kid
About 47 percent of parents in families earning less than $40,000 a year are offered health insurance through their employers—a 9 percent drop during the past decade. The figure underscores concern that low-income parents are experiencing dramatic erosion in employee benefits, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The states with the highest percentage of uninsured children include:
Texas—20.3 percent
Florida—16.9 percent
New Mexico—16.6 percent
The states with the lowest rates include:
Vermont—5.6 percent
New Hampshire—6.0 percent
Michigan—6.1 percent.
Prescription Drugs
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reported that while teenagers’ use of marijuana is declining, their abuse of prescription drugs is holding steady or in some cases increasing. Many teenagers are obtaining drugs over the Internet, getting them from friends, or from someone’s medicine cabinet. Based on national surveys, 2.1 million teenagers abused prescription drugs in 2005. While their use of marijuana declined from 30.1 percent to 28.5 percent from 2002 to 2006, use of OxyContin, a painkiller, increased from 2.7 percent to 3.5 percent over the same period. Teens are also abusing stimulants, such as Adderall and anti-anxiety drugs, such as Xanax. The report is based on the 2005 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, a survey of 68,308 families, and the 2005 Monitoring the Future Survey of 50,000 eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-graders conducted by the University of Michigan.
Teen Drivers
States with the most stringent teen licensing programs have fewer deaths and serious injuries to 16-year-old drivers, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports. Sixteen- year-old drivers are involved in 38 percent fewer fatal crashes and 40 percent fewer crashes with injuries if their state’s teen licensing programs have at least five of seven components that AAA says are important, such as a minimum age of 16 for a learner’s permit and a requirement that permits must be held for a period of at least six months before unsupervised driving is allowed.
See: aaafoundation.org.
Black Bias
Many young black Americans think the government treats most immigrants better than it treats most black people in the U.S., according to research at the University of Chicago’s Black Youth Project. It asked 15- to-25-year-olds about issues from politics and government to sex, marriage, health, and hip-hop. The study, involving 1,590 young people of different racial and ethnic groups, found that black experience—and the perception of blacks’ experience by others— suggests a demographic group that sees a lot of obstacles, including:
- 48 percent of blacks, compared with 18 percent of Hispanics and 29 percent of whites, believe the government treats immigrants better than it treats blacks.
- 68 percent of blacks believe the government would do more to find a cure for AIDS if more whites were infected, compared with 34 percent of whites and 50 percent of Hispanics.
- 61 percent of blacks say it is hard for young black people to get ahead because of discrimination; 45 percent of Hispanics and 43 percent of whites agree.
- 54 percent of blacks say blacks receive a poorer education on average than whites; 40 percent of Hispanics and 31 percent of whites agree.
- 79 percent of blacks, 73 percent of Hispanics and 63 percent of whites believe the police discriminate “much more” against blacks than whites.
- 49 percent of blacks say they were “rarely or never” discriminated against because of their race.
Child Support
With 48.545 newly established orders, 17,923 terminations, more than 60,000 changes to existing orders, and millions of dollars processed and forwarded to State Disbursement Units since its inception, the Social Security Administration’s new child support garnishment system appears to be working successfully. Recently, SSA implemented its new garnishment system, the Court Ordered Garnishment System (COGS), to improve its ability to respond to income-withholding orders (IWOs) from child support agencies. The results are cost savings to the agency and immediate benefits to the child support program. To obtain more information about child support programs, see www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse.
College Students and Money
According to the Higher Education Research Institute, the percentage of U.S. college freshmen who believe it is “essential” or “very important” to:
Be very well off financially:
1967: 41.9 percent
2005: 74.5 percent
Develop a meaningful philosophy of life:
1967: 85.8 percent
2005: 45 percent
Child Labor—According to USA Today, the percentage of children ages 5 to 14 who work:
Sub-Saharan Africa—26.4 percent
Asia and the Pacific—18.8 percent
Latin America and the Caribbean—51.1 percent
Other regions—5.2 percent
College Workers—More than a quarter of college freshmen in 2006 said they intended to hold down jobs for more than 20 hours a week during the school year, according to Noel-Levitz, an educational consulting firm. Students at private colleges planned to work even longer hours than their public college counterparts. The percentage of freshmen who said they intended to work, by hours per week:
ALL COLLEGES
No work—21.5 percent
1-10 hours—20.6 percent
21-30 hours—30.7 percent
31-40 hours—8.6 percent
More than 40 hours—3.4 percent
FOUR-YEAR PRIVATE
No work—20.9 percent
1-10 hours—23.8 percent
11-20 hours—28.6 percent
21-30 hours—12.5 percent
31-40 hours—9.1 percent
More than 40 hours—5.2 percent
FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC
No work—25.4 percent
1-10 hours—21.7 percent
11-20 hours—34.2 percent
21-30 hours—13.8 percent
31-40 hours—3.9 percent
More than 40 hours—0.9 percent
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence rates fell sharply in the U.S. between 1993 and 2004, but show recent signs of a rebound, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The number of domestic homicides fell 32 percent from 1993 to 2004 and the frequency of nonfatal violence between domestic partners dropped by more than 50 percent, from 5.8 attacks per 1,000 U.S. residents age 12 or older, to 2.6 attacks. Men benefited from the decline more than women, and black victims more than white women. The number of women killed by current or former partners fell from 1,572 in 1993 to 1,159 in 2004, or 26 percent. The number of men killed dropped from 698 to 385, or 45 percent. On average, 18.2 of 1,000 American Indian and native Alaskan women are victimized each year, nearly three times the rate among white women and twice the rate among black women. The least violence was reported against Asian men, white men, and people age 50 and over.