Apple Patents Anti-Sexting App

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Parents will soon have a new tool to prevent their kids from sexting on an iPhone.  Apple has created a text blocker to filter out certain explicit language, including abbreviated words that other similar programs may miss, according to CNN. The patent document actually says:
If the control contains unauthorized text, the control application may alert the user, the administrator or other designated individuals of the presence of such text. The control application may require the user to replace the unauthorized text or may automatically delete the text or the entire communication. A blogger at Tech Crunch points out that people who really want to send salacious messages will invent workarounds that don’t set off the censors.  And oh, by the way, the patent addresses only words, not photos.  So this won’t be the end of sexting, but it may be a step.

Marietta Police Produce Video on Bullying

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The Marietta Police Department and the City School system have created an eight-minute video with advice for parents on bullying.  The first recommendation may be the most important: good communication between parents and kids. Police officers also outline how families can identify the signs of bullying, how parents should report bullying, what schools are required to do, and what actions police may take. Click here to watch the video

Click here to see more crime prevention videos from the Marietta Police Department.

Family of Roy Barnes Hit by Teen Driver

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A 17 year old boy is in critical condition after a crash that also injured the grandchildren of gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes.  The teen, who was driving a Porsche Boxster, apparently swerved into oncoming traffic.  Cobb Police say he hit a minivan carrying the former governor's daughter, Allison Barnes Salter, and her two children. The crash happened Sunday afternoon on Old Mountain Road near Marietta. Barnes’ two granddaughters, who are 4 and 7 years old, are both hospitalized, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Also hospitalized is a 16 year old, who was riding in the Porsche. Police believe the teens were speeding, but the investigation is ongoing.

Justice Department Targets Youth and Gang Violence

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The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new campaign to prevent youth and gang violence.  The project, called the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, is supported by the White House and multiple agencies, including Education, Labor, HUD, and the CDC. Teams from Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, San Jose and Salinas, CA are looking for innovative and data-driven strategies to fight crime and improve opportunities for young people.  They’ll present their plans at a Youth Violence Summit next spring, then share their findings with other cities. The National League of Cities supports the effort, but is urging the feds to look at how crime prevention programs are funded, to give local governments more flexibility. Read the full DOJ News Release for more info

KIDS COUNT: 22% of Georgia Kids Live in Poverty

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New Data from KIDS COUNT shows more children are living in poverty across the country, while the poverty rate for children in Georgia stands at 22%.   The updated numbers include data from the U.S. Census bureau.  You can look up states, cities and for the first time congressional districts. “These numbers should be a major wakeup call,” said Laura Beavers, national KIDS COUNT coordinator at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “The economic success of America’s children and families, now more than ever, depends on the financial stability of the communities they live in.”

Among other things, the database includes a survey of teenage risky behaviors from 2007-2008.  Here’s what they report from Georgia:

7% engaged in binge drinking
5% used marijuana
4% use other illicit drugs

11 year old Boy Arrested at School for Beating 94 year old Man

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Cobb County Police went to an elementary school to arrest an 11 year old boy for a brutal assault. A second boy, who is 15, surrendered to police.  According to WXIA TV, they’re accused of beating 94 year old Paul Smallwood at his home over the weekend.  Both face multiple charges, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, and violation of the Georgia Gang Act.

Bishop’s Accuser Claims They Had Sex Inside Church

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Damaging new claims are coming from one of the four young men who claimed Bishop Eddie Long lured them into a sexual relationship when they were teenagers. Jamal Parris tells Fox5 Atlanta that some of their sexual encounters  took place inside the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where Long is the pastor, both before and after church services. Parris also alleges that he received jewelry, gifts and cash from church coffers, and that some church officials knew. Fox5 interviewed Parris in Colorado, where he now lives. Parris told reporter Dale Russell that he had a father-son relationship with Long at first, then it turned sexual after he turned 16.

Tough New Teen Driver Law Proposed

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A Federal bill called the STANDUP Act (Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act) aims to save lives behind the wheel. But it could mean new restrictions for teen drivers in Georgia and across the nation:

Conditional driver’s licenses for all teens under 18. Learner’s permit starting at 16. New limits on teen driving at night. No more than one passenger under age 21 while a teen is at the wheel.

Why Teenage Boys Fight: New Research Identifies Risk Factors

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African American and Latino boys are more often involved in fights, according to researchers who study racial and ethnic risk factors for fighting. They surveyed more than 4,000 teenagers in California, between the ages of 12 and 17 and found:

27% of African American teens reported fighting
24% of Latino teens say they fight
16% of white teens fight
6% of Asian/Pacific Islander teens fight

The study, reported this month in the Journal of Academic Pediatrics, found that alcohol and smoking increased the odds of fighting among whites and Latinos. Poverty was a factor for African Americans.  White kids who got more support from their families had fewer fights, while Latino kids who got more support at school were less likely to fight. The research concludes that prevention efforts should be tailored to these differences, as well as family and community factors.

Babysitter Murder Case to Stay in Juvenile Court

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The 11 year old babysitter accused of killing a toddler in Sandy Springs will face charges in juvenile court, not adult court.  As expected, the Fulton County D.A.’s office made the only decision possible under Georgia Law.  The 11 year old is too young to be charged as an adult, despite public outrage over the death of 2 year old Zeyda White. The toddler somehow received a fatal blow to the head while in the care of the pre-teen babysitter last Saturday night. The youngster appeared in juvenile court Wednesday for an initial hearing and remains in Metro’s Youth Detention Center.  In general, juvenile court cases move through the system much faster than cases in adult court.   As the case unfolds, it will be heard by a juvenile court judge, not a jury.  The child will be represented by a defense attorney.  If found guilty, the child may be sent to a secure detention center for up to five years, with possible 12-month extensions at the discretion of the judge and the Department of Juvenile Justice, until the age of 21. Also reporting this story:

Myfoxatlanta.com

Examiner.com