HOUSTON - Some 700 of the nation's top juvenile-justice reformers are gathering in Texas this week to share strategies for reducing the number of troubled youths who wind up behind bars. With several recent studies confirming that problem kids tend to do better when they're not sent off to institutions, participants at the conference want to speed up the trend toward community-based solutions.
Bart Lubow, director of the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which is hosting the Houston gathering, says just locking kids up mostly doesn't work.
"Our reliance on incarceration is a failed policy. It doesn't work for the kids; it doesn't work for public safety; it doesn't work for taxpayers, because it's enormously expensive."
The Casey Foundation has teamed up with jurisdictions in 32 states to help implement alternatives to so-called "zero-tolerance" policies that focus on youth detention. Harris and Dallas counties are participating in Texas. Community-based rehabilitation is one of the goals of the state's new Juvenile Justice Department.
The conference will highlight Houston's de-emphasis on incarceration during the past few years.
Tom Brooks, who directs the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, says 690 area youths were sent to "state school" in 2006, compared with only 97 last year.
"I think we're able to achieve that by providing individual programs, getting out in the community, working with the families, dealing with individual needs, engaging different community providers to do wrap-around services."
Statewide, the number of juvenile offenders behind bars has dropped from more than 4,000 in 2006 to around 1,400 now. While Brooks believes it is sometimes appropriate to lock up juvenile offenders, he thinks jurisdictions should ask questions first.
"Are they locking up the right child? What is the reason you're locking that child up? And make sure that all the alternatives are being provided and looked at, because if you lock them up and just let them go without any services, chances are it's going to be a revolving door and they're going to be right back."
While Brooks praises the last Legislature for encouraging probation departments to rehab kids locally, he says more funding is needed to pay for programs. Spending more up front on youth services, he adds, is a proven way to save money in the long run. When kids are locked up they are significantly more likely to re-offend after getting out, according to recent research.
A report on recent research is at www.utexas.edu.
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Kids' summer camp means horseback riding, hiking and scavenger hunts. But one Indianapolis chef is using the school break to teach youths cooking and business skills.
The Culinary Art Summer Bootcamp instructs participants - generally ages 16 to 22 - on food handling, healthy meal preparation, and table etiquette.
Twelve students attended the first camp in 2023. This year, the enrollment number is 28.
Healthy Soul Indy founder and chef Tawana Gulley saw a niche she wanted to fill.
"The camp initially started with just me seeing that there were just wayward kids that needed some guidance and something to do," said Gulley. "The only thing that I felt like I could bring to the table and offer them was my skill set in the culinary-arts area."
Gulley credited career development teacher Eric Kilbride with creating the camp's blueprint and securing funding. She said previous students have received certification for culinary careers.
According to workforce site Indiana Career Explorer, the average annual salary for a chef is almost $55,000.
Business and food-industry professionals are invited to the camp to share their expertise about financial literacy, marketing, and having a business plan.
The importance of customer service and responsibility are discussed in roundtable talks. Gulley said she strives to provide a well-rounded camp experience.
"So after we train them, and after they go through their morning with an entrepreneur, they go out and they work with these vendors for two hours out of the day," said Gulley. "So, we have a certified trainer that comes and works out with the kids and talks to them about health and wellness."
Another important part of the camp is to raise participants' awareness about food deserts, particularly in urban areas.
The 2024 Survey Report: Food Assistance and Hunger in Indiana, indicates the U.S. Census found the percentage of Black households in Indiana with food insufficiency was twice as high - at 23%, while the general population is at almost 12%.
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Summer jobs are a boost for companies needing seasonal help. But Black and Latino youths are not seeing the opportunities come their way.
A report by the University of Illinois-Chicago Great Cities Institute has found these teens face fewer job prospects than white applicants.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security indicates 16 to 24-year-olds have had the highest unemployment rate among all age groups - including those at retirement age - since 2017.
Great Cities Institute Research Assistant Samantha Sepulveda Santos said some neighborhoods are struggling more than others.
"We can see," said Sepulveda Santos, "that the highest percentages of joblessness among students in Chicago - which is 93% - were found in areas in the South and Southwest. In Hilton, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Fuller Park, and Back of the Yards."
Recovery time from pandemic-related shutdowns in the Chicago Public Schools system was slower than other area districts, according to the report.
Sepulveda Santos said she believes this data supports the necessity to implement programming for equal employment opportunities.
The report claims more than 163,000 16 to 24-year-olds in Chicago are unemployed and not enrolled in high school or college.
Sepulveda Santos acknowledged that competition is harder for these youths to enter a trade school to receive technical training for in-demand jobs - which could contribute to higher disparity numbers.
"And another factor we allude to as well is that not all people have the same opportunities," said Sepulveda Santos. "Not all people have the same networking, the same preparation for cover letters, for interviews. Most people have a leg up to be able to ask an aunt, an uncle, a neighbor for a job, as other people do."
The institute is seeking funding for a youth employment training program to teach teens about applying for jobs and being productive workers upon hire.
The study also suggests if Illinois spent $300 million on youth employment, crime rates could be reduced.
Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show in July 2023, the unemployment rate nationwide for Black youth was 18%, nearly 11% for Latinos, and 7% for white youths.
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Companies are consistently looking for fresh talent in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
A central Indiana organization is reaching out to encourage young people to consider a STEM career.
The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership is comprised of 65 CEOs of some of Indiana's largest corporations, and a few presidents of the state's major universities.
Partnership CEO Melina Kennedy said for its new See Yourself In campaign, one objective is to educate youth on the possibilities.
"A lot of young people, especially our Gen Z'ers, don't really know 'what does that mean' in advanced industries - like sciences, agbiosciences, tech," said Kennedy. "Even that might be too broad. So, this campaign tries to go a layer deeper, to share with Gen Z'ers the different kinds of jobs and opportunities that there are in these advanced industries."
The campaign highlights life science careers in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, and medical research and testing within health information technology.
The Partnership's youth summit, with the Indiana Department of Education, will be in November. The first one was held last year, and more than 200 students statewide attended.
Other career-focused options include a three-year apprenticeship for participants to earn college credits, gain experience, and build their professional network.
Kennedy said See Yourself In is a great introduction for students to connect directly with industry professionals with a strong Indiana presence, whose companies help drive the state's economy.
"That's a starting point for a lot of information, both about real profiles of real people, and the kind of work they're doing," said Kennedy. "So, people can think about these industries, but also connections to tools and other job openings, trainings, profiles - things like that, that can be helpful."
Last month, the Indiana Department of Education announced the certification of 20 more schools as leaders in STEM education, bringing the total to more than 100.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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