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Congress Slashes Programs for Troubled Youth
For more information, contact
Joyce Johnson
Phone: 804/492-4519
Cell: 703/980-7641
E-mail: jjohnson@cwla.org
November 26, 2003, Washington, DC-- Programs to help America's troubled youth will be slashed by nearly 60%, unless Congress acts to restore funding. These cuts will result in higher youth delinquency and increased crime. With states and local communities struggling in the face of record budget deficits and higher crime statistics, it is critically important for the federal government to maintain its commitment to the troubled youth of this country by providing adequate treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention services through effective juvenile justice programs.
The success of initiatives such as the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, and the Title V Local Delinquency Prevention Grant Program is irrefutable. Youth crime has fallen to historic levels in recent years. To cut the JABG from $249 million to a mere $60 million over the last two years and cut Title V by more than half in 2003 and only partly restore the funds in 2004, will cause irreparable damage to our youth and the juvenile justice system that works to rehabilitate and provide positive opportunities.
Fewer young people would be in supervised programs during the high crime hours immediately after school. Improvements to deteriorating juvenile detention facilities would be delayed or permanently postponed. Funding will be shredded for prevention initiatives such as mentoring, after school, and community service as well as for rehabilitation efforts such as substance abuse treatment, mental health screening, and employment preparedness. Prevention programs for troubled youth will be closed, downsized, and likely eliminated if this drastic cut is allowed.
"Cuts of this magnitude will put America's most vulnerable youth - those young people who are in need of treatment and support - at even greater risk," said Shay Bilchik, President/CEO of the Child Welfare League of America. "Without proven, effective rehabilitation services for juveniles in need, an entire group of young people with incredible potential and opportunity could be lost to a life of crime and regret."
Just last year, the President signed into law a new Delinquency Prevention Block Grant, and with it, the promise of a renewed commitment to addressing the problems of youth before they reach juvenile justice system. Though hailed as a great achievement, it is appalling that zero funding for this prevention block grant to the states is provided for 2004.
The Child Welfare League of America and our 1,100 child-serving members across the nation urge the Congress and the President to restore $249 million in funding for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, $95 million for Title V, and provide $127 million for the Delinquency Prevention Block Grant in 2004.
Established in 1920, the Child Welfare League of America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization. Headquartered in Washington, DC, CWLA strives to advance sound public policy on behalf of the more than three million abused, neglected, and vulnerable children served by its more than 1,100 public and private member agencies. To further its mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting the well-being of all children and families, CWLA conducts research, develops standards of best practice, hosts regional and national conferences, provides comprehensive, field-based consultation and professional development services, and is the largest publisher of child welfare materials in North America.
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