10-08-1997 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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A- S It a E E 1- r. Making Kids Count he National League of Cities recendy completed its thirteenth annual State of the Cities report. In general, it found that condi- dons were improving in most of America's cities. A closer scru- tiny, however, reveals chat a number of conditions have wors- ened over the last year. Significantly, most of these worsening conditions — school violence, youth crime, poverty, gangs, and teen pregnancy — directly affect our youth. A few simple statistics put this in proper perspective: About 20 percent of the children in the United States live in poverty; the percentage is about twice as high for minority children. The United States has the highest teen alcohol and drug abuse rate of any in- dustrialized nation. Between 1988 and 1992, the juvenile arrest race for vio- lent crime increased 47 percent —more than twice the increase for people 18 years of age and older. While these are national statistics, there are serious reasons for concern in Minnesota as well. For example, a na- tionwide study funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation noted chat from 1985 to 1994. the percent of Minne- sota teens who are high school dropouts increased by about 60 percent. At the same time. che national average has improved. Likewise. che number of Minnesota children living in poverty has increased by seven percent while the national race has remained rela- nvely constant. Lastly, the ceen birch rate increased by 25 percent in Minne- sota during chat decade, slighdv worse than the nanonal average. The congruence of these statistics is seen on a daily basis in decisions such as chose to limit youth access co che Mall of America at certain times, in che in- creased incidence of vandalism. and the growing complaint by many that being around youth makes them uncomion- able. In the most extreme and sensa- By jim Miller clonal instances, we read about a vio- lent crime comrmtted by a young per- son and our concerns and impressions of youth as problems become even more reinforced. Our negative impressions are further compounded by the simple tact chat most of us have less and less contact with our youth. A recent editorial by syndicated columnist Neal Pierce quoted Charles Bray, President of the Johnson Foundation, as saving chat the heart of the problem is chat we as Americans live in che most age segre- gated society in human history. Only "If we atevmiif fmg to. commit the time and energy to develop this resaurce:.wehaveaa errata hlanoe` f fortheitfaihrebutourselve '. one home in lour has a school aged ch ld, and many of us do not a en speak to a'oung person for clays at a dine Such segre -gated contact obvi- ously reinforces stereotypes and can be a barrier to soiucions. Simply finding ways to increase our concacr with youth. and thereby our .mciers'ranaing of youth. may be cart of the solution. More rieauenc :onracc will aiso present more role models for our :nose impressionable citizens. Thar same edi- tonal referenced a eun-ev of Wisconsin adults and teenagers which asked. among ocher questions. co define teen role models. While .he adults most of- ten named someone Like :Michael for - dan, che teenagers tended co say. An adult who cares about me.- Cicv offi- cials could be very effective roie models in impressing on youth their civic re- sponsibilities and :n r m eacg a ;pore positive attitude toward aovernmenc In these future voters and : ayoavers. A U c e s T 1 9 9- Page 49 Many of the techniques that have been utilized so far, such as crying teen offenders in adult courts or creating summer youth recreation programs, may be part of che answer, but they will ultimately have limited effect. Thar is because they tend to deal as much with symptoms as with che actual prob- lems themselves. The long -cerm answer involves a recommitment in every sense to our youth. The United States, for example, is the only industriali>ed country that spends more per capita on its elderly than on its youth. While that statistic is related to monetary eependi- cures, the same can be said about our personal investment as well. If we are unwilling to commie the time and en- ergy to develop this resource, we have no one to blame for their failure but ourselves. The key to successfully dealing with our youth issues on a long -term basis. Chen, will require more than simply de- signing or redesigning programs to contain the problem. however we de- dne it. Rather. it will cake an attitudi- nal change chat begins to recognize the potential of our youth and involves chem. imperfections and all, in che ba- sic fiber of our communities. That is what asset building is about— finding ways co alleviate the conditions. such as high dropout races. chat impede the abiliry of our vouch co succeed while ac che same time finding ways co invoive and develop their potential. This will not be an easy task and is is not one that government is particularly accus- tomed to undertaking. But the issue of our youth will not go away. Rather. che question is whether. in the future, we will devote even more public re- sources co deaiing with problems or to strengthening our communities by en- gaging and developing this precious resource. r Jim ,b(iller is executive director or die League r .1./innesora Cities.