11-12-1997 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

a S k sr E. e: r Making Kids Count �►7 he National League of Cities recently completed its thirteenth annual State of the Cities report. In general, it found that condi- tions 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. Significandy, most of these worsening conditions — school violence. youth crime, poverty, gangs, and ceen 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 Scares has che highest ceen alcohol and drug abuse rare of any in- dustrialized nation. Between 1988 and 1992, che juvenile arrest rate for vio- lent crime increased 47 percent —more than twice the increase for people 18 years of age and oider. While these are national. statistics. there are serious reasons for concern in Minnesota as well. For example, a na- donwide study tended by the Annie E. Casey Foundanon noced that Qom 1985 to 1994, che percent of Minne- sota teens who are high schooi dropouts increased by about 60 percent. At che same rime, the nanonal average has improved. Likewise. che number of Minnesota children Living in poverty has increased by seven percent while the national race has remained rela- tively constant. Lastly, che teen birth rate increased by 25 percent in Minne- sota dunng that decade. slighdy worse Man the nanonal average. The congruence of these statistics is seen on a daily basis in decisions such as chose to limit youth access to the Mall of America at certain rimes, in the in- creased incidence of vandalism. and the growing complaint by many chat being around youth makes them uncomfort- able. In die most extreme and sensa- ByJim .filler clonal instances, we read about a via- . lenc crime comnucted 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 fact 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 Foundanon, as saving chat the heart of the problem is that we as Americans live in the most age segre- gated society in human history. Only "If weareumvillingtu committhe time snitenergy to develop this. resource..we have ne mete hlanrt fortheirfaihaebataurselves:? one home in four has a school aged child. and many of us do not even speak co a young person for days at a time Such segregated concact obvi- ously reinforces scereorvpes and can be a barrier to solutions. Simply tnding ways to increase our contact with youth. and thereby our understanding of youth, may oe parr of the solution. More rreuuenc contact will aiso present more role models for our most impressionabie citizens. That same edi- conal referenced a survev of Wisconsin adults and teenagers which asked. among ocher questions. co derine teen role models. Whiie the adults most ot- cen named someone like Michael Jor- dan, the teenagers •tended co say. An adult who cares about me." City cials couid be very effective role models in impressing on youth their civic re- sponsibilities and m creating a more posinve attitude coward sovernment :n these future vocers and c axoavers. AUp Js r , 9 9- Page 57 Many of the techniques chat have been utilized so far, such as Irving ceen offenders in adult courts or creating summer youth recreation programs. may be parr of the answer. bur they will ultimately have limited effect. That is because they tend to deal as much with symptoms as with the actual prob- lems themselves. The long -term answer involves a recommitment in every sense to our youth. The United Scares. for example, is the only industrialized country chat spends more per capita on its elderly than on is youth. While char statistic is related to monetary exnendi- cures, the same can be said about our personal investment as well. If we are unwilling to commit the time and en- ergy to develop this resource, we have no one to blame for their failure bur ourselves. The key to successfully dealing with our youth issues on a long -term basis. then, will require more than simply de- signing or redesigning programs co contain the problem, however we de- fine it. Rather. it will take an attitudi- nal change chat begins to recognize the potential of our youth and invoives them. imperfecnons and ail. in the ba- sic fiber of our communities. That is what asset building is about — finding ways to alleviate the conditions. such as high dropout rates. char impede the ability of our vouch to succeed while at the same rime finding ways to involve and develop their potential. This will not be an easy task and is is hoc one chat government is particularly accus- comed to undertaking. But the issue of our youth will not go away. Rather. the question is whether, in the Mrure. we will devote even more public re- sources co deiiing with problems or co strengthening our conunurunes by en- gaging and developing this precious resource. r Jim .Miller is executive director or die League or Minnesota Clues.