Saving Our Youth

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an extraordinary toll on youth and families, amplifying stressful situations and exacerbating a variety of factors that can increase a youth’s likelihood of delinquent behavior. But we are not powerless in the face of these challenging circumstances: we can take action to strengthen supports for youth and families, building on lessons learned from the pandemic as well as decades of research on effective practices for preventing delinquency.”

— Maria Mossaides, Director of the Office of the Child Advocate and Chair of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board

Violence in this country has increased nationwide, especially since the start of the pandemic. Whether the violence is due to mental health, economic issues, or social disparities, it has had a devastating impact on our communities. This is not just a big city or urban issue, which is many times coded to mean an issue only caused by people of color. Rather, we also are seeing an uptick in violence in the suburbs, rural areas, and reservations. We have seen mass violence events in schools and community events. There are also targeted attacks on our families, friends, neighbors, and political officials.

Based on the media, you would believe there was also a significant spike in violence by and affecting children. According to The Sentencing Project, however, youth crimes have decreased by more than half during the past two decades, including the number of serious violent offenses. The number of youth-involved homicides has indeed increased along with the national average, but it is still lower than in previous years. This does not diminish that 7.5% of 2020 homicide arrests involved children. We need to find ways to ensure that all crimes committed by children continue to decrease in the upcoming years.

There is not one answer to fix the violence. The answer does not fall completely on the federal, state, or local governments. The violence cannot be stopped completely by grassroots and community organizations. The solution does not fall upon one parent, guardian, or teacher. While I cannot say that I have all the answers, I do know that community programs help keep children off the streets—or sidewalks, country roads, and trails. It helps stop the “cradle to prison” pipeline, and the earlier it begins, the more positive outcomes can be seen.

Positive youth development models decrease juvenile violence by addressing the six life domains of work, education, relationships, community, health, and creativity. According to youth .gov, the two key assets needed by all youth are learning/doing and attaching/belonging. We all need to work together to provide children with the opportunity to develop positive behaviors. Youth programs help prevent crime and violence. It is pertinent for our youth to have safe spaces where they can receive education and training, mentorship, and work with the community. There are a variety of programs available, and each one has its niche. You will see the diverse types of programs available below that can help the youth in our communities. We must support our local youth programs, whether they are school-based or nonprofit, and advocate for more funding from all levels of government.