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Reducing Youth Violence
Action for Children promotes programs and strategies that have been proven to prevent youth violence and provide comprehensive treatment, services and supports to youth when necessary.
Action for Children is committed to promoting positive pathways of development for young people at-risk of and involved in the juvenile justice system. To reach this goal, Action for Children supports the implementation of programs proven to help reduce youth violence in a cost effective manner.
Youth violence is an important public health problem. The costs of violence paid by young people, families, and communities are extremely high. Youth who engage in violence are more likely to experience a wide range of negative social and psychological outcomes. Violent youth are also more likely to engage in a number of antisocial behaviors that place themselves and others at risk for serious physical injury, psychological distress, and social maladjustment.
Legislative Information:
During the 2009 legislative session, Action for Children and its partners advocated for funding to improve community supports and services for youth transitioning to adulthood. $7.5 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds were allocated to be used over the biennium for gang prevention and intervention, and more juvenile court counselors.
Unfortunately, that federal funding - and additional state funding - was cut in the 2011 budget, as the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention lost funding. Action for Children will continue to advocate for adequate funding for youth violence prevention.
A bill to allow certain low-level felonies to be expunged from the records of youth who committed them while they were 16- and 17-years-old passed the 2011 legislature with flying colors!
More Information
