Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 21, 1994 TAG: 9407290007
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By PAUL FLEISHER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Such get-tough proposals have become commonplace. Virginia's youth programs generally focus on crisis intervention, remediation or the control of anti-social behaviors. This usually means incarceration or some other contact with the juvenile justice system. We focus on aiding or punishing young people already in trouble, rather than helping them keep out of it.
In the meantime, too many of Virginia's children are left to devise their own amusements after school; too many have no opportunities for recreation, employment or meaningful community service. If we want to reduce youth crime and disaffection, we must provide the services, activities and jobs young people need to become productive community members. In the long run, investing tax dollars and the efforts of caring adults in prevention programs will do far more than "boot camps" and juvenile detention ever will.
A recent report by the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development notes that nearly 40 percent of adolescents' waking hours are "discretionary time" - hours not devoted to school, household chores, homework or paid employment. And for many young people, those hours are when trouble starts.
Studies show that about 27 percent of eighth graders spend two or more unsupervised hours after school. These hours are the most common time for adolescent sexual intercourse. Unsupervised children are also twice as likely to engage in substance abuse.
As the report reminds us, "young people from poor families are most likely ... to be unsupervised during the after-school hours. They are the least likely to have access to constructive alternatives. They are the youth whose lives hang in the balance."
Nationwide, about 40 percent of eighth-graders from low-income areas are not involved in organized activities after school. Even in more affluent communities, almost 20 percent of young people are unoccupied during their discretionary time.
An old African proverb says, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." The "village" of Seattle, Wash., has recognized the importance of comprehensive youth services. Seattle's young people have access to health clinics, summer day-camps, after-school and late-night recreation programs, internship and employment programs and a multitude of other opportunities. Young people play an important role in the city's special Commission on Children and Youth, and many youth-oriented activities will receive funding from a levy recently approved by Seattle voters.
Every community in Oregon now has a youth-service commission to coordinate all public and private efforts for children under 18. Several local youth organizations receive financial assistance from the state. Virginia should develop similar programs to provide the care and nurturing that our youngest citizens deserve.
Virginia could start by extending the hours of recreation centers, swimming pools and libraries, and by providing additional staff for them. Late-night sports leagues, for example, have proved effective in keeping young people out of trouble. Extended day and evening programs and expanded recreational activities could take advantage of the state's public schools, which serve as natural centers of community life. Too often, these buildings are left empty and unused.
Projects to restore neighborhoods, assist the elderly or care for young children would help young people recognize that they are valued members of their community. The result would be a sense of belonging and self-worth that will help youths resist the temptations that await every adolescent.
Any civic entity that affects the lives of young people should have at least one young person on its governing body, to create a pool of experienced leaders to serve Virginia now and for decades to come.
Virginia should also grant the next generation a chance to develop responsibility and hope by establishing incentives for businesses to employ young workers.
Finally, successful youth programs demand coordination and cooperation both within and among the localities of a region. Virginia's localities should assess programs currently available for young people, determine what additional services are needed, and make sure public and private organizations work together to serve the broadest possible population.
Paul Fleisher teaches gifted middle-school students in the Richmond public schools, and has authored several books for children.
Virginia Forum
by CNB