Violence is the leading cause of death for 15-24
year olds in California. (National Center for Health
Statistics, 2001)
Homicide is the second leading cause of injury and
death of girls 12-17 years old. (California Department of
Health, 2000)
California leads the nation in confining juveniles:
549 per 100,000 in 1999. Georgia is a distant second with an
incarceration rate of 480 per 100,000. (Urban Institute)
California counties book more than 10,000 youth a
day into juvenile halls. (California Board of Corrections
2000 Legislative Report)
PREVENTION WORKS
The United States Surgeon General has determined
that a number of youth violence intervention and prevention
programs have demonstrated that they are effective. (Youth
Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2000)
Good violence prevention programs have been shown
to save up to $3 for every $1 invested. (Investing in Our
Children: What We Know and Don't Know About the Costs and
Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions, Rand, 1998)
THE PUBLIC AGREES
Nine in ten voters think youth violence is a problem
statewide, 54% think it is a big problem. (Statewide Voter
Survey for The California Wellness Foundation, Survey Policy
Research Institute at San Jose State University, 2004)
Six
in 10 voters, including 47% of Republicans and 72% of
Democrats, say they would be willing to pay higher state
taxes if they were needed to maintain funding for violence
prevention and youth safety programs. (Statewide Voter
Survey for The California Wellness Foundation, Survey Policy
Research Institute at San Jose State University, 2004)
More than 90% of California voters think that after-school
programs and youth job and vocational training programs are
particularly effective in helping to prevent crime and
ensure the safety of young people. (Statewide Voter Survey
for The California Wellness Foundation, Survey Policy
Research Institute, 2004)
Nearly eight in ten voters say youth safety is as
important as law enforcement and prisons. (Statewide Voter
Survey for The California Wellness Foundation, Survey Policy
Research Institute at San Jose State University, 2004)
The following fact sheets provide an overview of
policy options that have both proven to be effective in
keeping youth safe as well as having strong voter support.
The following are a
sampling of programs that have been recommended by youth
advocates in selected California communities. Leaders of
these programs have provided evaluation data that
demonstrates the effectiveness of diverse strategies to keep
youth safe.
Each program description
includes: the sponsoring organization’s mission; overview,
components and target population; evaluation data source and
highlights; and quotes from participants or leaders.
