A task force was appointed by the California School Boards Association to investigate the increase in violence and vandalism and to recommend courses of action. The task force found four changes in society contributing to the increase: (1) the breakdown of the home and family unit, (2) the lack of self-discipline in children and the absence of…

Adults many times misunderstand adolescence and the problems from which adolescents suffer. However, there are few quantitative studies that have evaluated the prevalence of "common" teenage problems. To address this lack of hard data concerning perceived high school/adolescent problems, a study was commissioned to determine…

This report identifies policies and practices essential to overcoming problems with admissions to juvenile detention facilities, using information from the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Chapter 1, "Why Objective Admissions Policies and Practices Are Critical to Detention Reform," describes factors contributing to…

In Fall 2007, Hudson Guild--a settlement house that provides services to hundreds of adults, teens and children in two housing developments in New York City--embarked on a study to assess the needs of youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who were residing in the community and were disconnected (i.e., those youth who were not in school or not…

This report summarizes data compiled in a survey of student health conducted among 53,362 7th and 12th grade students in the spring of 1993. In order to compare these results to older students' health, 990 students attending Adult Basic Education centers were also surveyed. The survey instrument, which appears in Appendix A, contains 77 questions…

A survey considered young people's attitudes toward crime and violence and community service. The survey was based on a sample of 2,023 public, private, and parochial school students in grades 7 through 12, including a representative sample of urban students. The majority felt safe in their communities, but many did not always feel safe.…

Adolescents continue to use alcohol and other drugs despite the profound risks to their health. This thesis examines the attitudes of students in grades 7-9 toward alcohol and other nonprescriptive mind-altering substances. Eight independent variables were investigated: (1) gender; (2) grade placement; (3) DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)…

The goal of the Adolescent Assessment/Referral System (AARS) project was to identify, collect, and organize all the appropriate materials associated with assessment and treatment referral for troubled youth 12 through 19 years of age. This document discusses the components of the AARS. After an introduction to the AARS, the structure and function…

In 1997, the National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy convened nine focus groups of parents of teens and other adults who work with teens such as teachers, clergy, coaches, youth recreation specialists, youth-serving organization staff, and community outreach workers. This report publishes the results of these focus groups, which involved 57…

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation conducted a formal, comprehensive needs assessment designed to address what the Hispanic community sees as its important needs. Data were gathered by surveying 100 residents of Hispanic neighborhoods, 53 Hispanic and non-Hispanic community leaders city-wide, and 28 heads of agencies located in the…

While the economic downturn has appropriately become the top priority of policy makers, one element of the crisis has gone largely unnoticed: its impact on children and youth. Largely due to the economic and housing crises, many school districts across the country report increases in the number of homeless students in the classroom. "The Economic…

This program was developed and implemented to resolve conflict among administrators, staff, and students, thereby reducing suspensions in a teen-parent school. Ranging from 12 to 20 years old, the target population was 160 female teen parents. The objectives for the program were for suspensions to be reduced by 15%; that 35% of the students would…

This book of objective-based test items is designed to be used with the Adult Roles and Functions curriculum for a non-laboratory home economic course for grades eleven and twelve. It contains item banks for each cognitive objective in the curriculum. In addition, there is a form for the table of specifications to be developed for each unit. This…

The concerns highlighted in this report were derived from a questionnaire sent to states and territories and reflect national as well as individual state and regional concerns about juvenile delinquency and crime. Although the wide ranging responses to the questionnaire made it clear that states and territories experience different problems, the…

Results of a survey show that high school students in North Carolina think about, attempt, and are injured as the result of a suicide attempt with alarming frequency. This report summarizes suicide-related data from the North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey (1993). Younger students are more at risk of suicide than older students; more than one…