The State of Americas Children 2008 is an important document to understand how poverty and racism impact our youth and seed the foundation for many of them becoming at risk youth or gang involved.
Truancy Best Practices
The Commission has researched several best practice programs (PDF: 78K) and the following list hopefully helps communities work on the issue.
Research on Programs that Work
The Commission has collected websites with valuable information about programs that have been evaluated and are considered best practices.
The Bureau of Justice has a Center for program evaluation. View here.
Helping America's Youth is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community.
Washington State's Institute for Public Policy
University of Washington has an ongoing research site (PDF: 80K) on programs that have been evaluated.
Research on Youth in Gangs
Expanded Learning Opportunities
This new national report Learning Around the Clock:Benefits of Expanded Learning Opportunities for Older Youth (PDF: 1.7Mb) which just came out in March, lists programs that support youth learning 24/7. Listed and reviewed are programs that work. From the report:
Ideally, all youth should have access to a continuum of quality expanded learning opportunities throughout the day and across the community that keep them safe, support development of needed skills, provide supportive relationships with adults, and facilitate their transition to productive adult roles.At the same time, ELOs leverage existing resources and contribute additional resources (including significant numbers of adult volunteers) to augment K–12 and community-based funding streams.
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence has been reviewing over 600 programs that could prevent violence in our communities. On their site are 12 programs that deep research has been done. Visit their site for details and specific types of programs that work and where.
U.S Department of Justice- COPS Gangs Toolkit
Street gang crime can take many forms. The COPS Gangs Toolkit consists of resources for law enforcement officials, educators, and parents to address specific types of crimes committed by gangs. Gang Violence traumatizes the youth in our communities. This report is to help parents understand their child's feelings and reactions. Hopefully, this will help parents seek help for their children who are experiencing these symptoms.
