More than 60 percent of children have been directly or indirectly exposed to violence within the past year, according to a national study by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Nearly one-half of kids surveyed were assaulted at least once in the past year and more than 1 in 10 were injured in an assault.
Conducted between January and May 2008, the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, measured exposure to violence for kids 17 and younger. They looked at conventional crime, sex crimes, school violence and threats, family violence and more.
Attorney General Eric Holder recently unveiled the Defending Childhood Initiative, focused on this issue. So far, the Department of Justice has aware $5.5 million to eight cities (none of them in Georgia) to focus on:
- Providing appropriate programs and service for families and children
- Increasing access to quality programs and services
- Developing new services where gaps exist.
For the Department of Justice’s full press release, click here.