Why Dads matter

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By Normer Adams

It is not hard to believe that Father's Day did not become a national holiday until 1972.  America has always had an ambivalence about fathers.  Mother's day is often celebrated with almost reverence, whereas Father's Day is often the target of much satire, parody and derision.  Fathers often are regarded as the "second adult" in the home and only incidental to the development of a child.  Close to 30% of all children in Georgia live in households without a father.  An African American child's chances of living with a single mother household is more than 60%.  With statistics like these, one can see why fathers are relegated as incidental and not essential. All this is changing.  Children raised without a father's involvement are at a serious disadvantage.  A couple of credible studies confirm the negative consequences of fatherless homes. 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census
90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes
85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Source: Center for Disease Control)
80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26, 1978.)
71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools.)
75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes (Source: Rainbows for all Gods Children.)
70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988)
85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept.

Craigslist stuns child advocates

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New details are out about the child sex trade in Georgia.  An estimated 7,200 men are paying for sex with teenage girls every month in this state, according to a study called “Men Who Buy Sex with Adolescent Girls: A Scientific Research Study.” Highlights came out in May, but the full study, released Thursday, sheds new light on the crisis. While state leaders and advocacy groups are trying to get hold of the problem, it appears no one is more concerned about the report than Craigslist, the online classified ad giant.  Craigslist attorneys have sent a Cease and Desist letter to the Women’s Funding Network, a national partner of the Atlanta campaign called A Future Not a Past, which commissioned the study. The legal warning letter alleges the Women’s Funding Network defamed Craigslist, and distributed false information about the company, by releasing highlights of the Georgia study.  The study claims “Craigslist is by far the most efficient medium for advertising sex with young females; ads on this site received 3 times as many responses compared to identical ads placed on other sites.”

A spokesman for both the Women’s Funding Network, based in San Francisco, and Atlanta’s A Future Not a Past campaign were shocked by the Craigslist demand letter, which arrived June 7.  In response, they sent Craigslist the full study yesterday, and asked for a sit-down meeting.  They say Craigslist declined.

States look at Missouri Model

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States that are looking for ways to reduce the costs of keeping young offenders in prison are taking a fresh look at the Missouri Model. Missouri abandoned the traditional approach to prison in the 1980s.  The state adopted a system of small, regional treatment centers that provide education, job training and 24-hour counseling, aimed at helping kids turn their lives around.  As a result, Missouri has cut its recidivism rate for parolees down to 10%. A report from WBEZ radio in Chicago gives us a peak inside a youth prison that has adopted the Missouri Model. --Photo courtesy WBEZ radio and Rob Wildeboer

Cop punches teen jaywalker

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Across the nation people are talking about this video of a police officer punching a teenage girl in the face during an altercation in Seattle. What lead to this moment, captured by a witness with a cell phone, may well be a case study in police reaction and teenage judgment.  It started when Officer Ian Walsh spotted four girls jaywalking.  He asked them to step over to his patrol car.  According to police officials, the girls were “verbally antagonistic. “

The officer was alone on the street.  One of the teens allegedly touched his arm.  Pushing and shoving escalated into a struggle, and things quickly got out of hand. The police department at first defended the officer and blamed the girls for resisting arrest. But now the police chief is reviewing procedures and conducting an internal investigation.   The police union says the officer was justified and followed his training.

Retired prosecutor to lead League of Women Voters

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Elisabeth MacNamara retired from her job as Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney in charge of the Juvenile Court Division in DeKalb County just two weeks ago. Today, she is the newly elected President of the League of Women Voters of the United States.  She won a two-year term by unanimous vote from more than 600 delegates meeting in Atlanta on Tuesday. MacNamara was an assistant district attorney in DeKalb County since 1986. She’s been a League member even longer, serving as president of the Georgia League, and most recently, first vice president of the national League. During the convention here, the League of Women Voters of the United States set an agenda to study the federal role in public education and privatization of government functions.

Summit warns teens of texting and online dangers

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Teens who are involved in sexting and posting lewd comments on social networks risk getting arrested.  That warning came from John Walsh, television host of America’s Most Wanted, and James Andrews of Everywhere, at the National Teen Summit on Internet Safety.  The Summit, sponsored by Cox Communications, enlisted teens from around the nation on Tuesday morning.  Walsh reminded teens of the dangers of social networking sites and cell phones and how to avoid legal issues.  Andrews is a social media expert who recommends that teens use privacy settings on Facebook, just like their favorite celebrities do. Watch the Summit below:

Survey: teens welcome pregnancy

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A growing number of unmarried teenagers say they would be pleased if they got pregnant, or got a partner pregnant. 14% of girls and 18% of boys share this point of view, according to a study from the National Center for Health Statistics.  64% of U.S. teens now believe “it is OK for an unmarried female to have a child.”

Read the entire study here, or the summary in Youth Today. (pictures courtesty rahego's photostream)

Hidden Injustice Report

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13 percent of young people in detention facilities are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) according to a report called Hidden Injustice. The study done by National Juvenile Defender Center looks at how gay teens are treated in juvenile courts across the country. It profiles some common misconceptions about these kids and why the judicial system fails to meet the needs of this hidden population. http://www.njdc.info/pdf/hidden_injustice.pdf

Watch the National Teen Summit live from Washington, DC

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Teens from across the nation are talking about sexting, cyberbullying, and the impact of social media on digital reputation in a live event, streaming online this morning.  John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted is hosting this National Teen Summit on Internet Safety, along with Everywhere's James Andrews. They are taking your questions from twitter hash tag:  #cox4teensafety. Cox Communications is streaming this event in partnership with the Center for Missing and Exploited  Children.

Disproportionate Minority Study

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African American teens are 2.3 times more likely to get arrested in Georgia than Caucasian teens, and 5.5 times more likely to land in adult court, according to the latest numbers from the Governor's Office for Children and Families.  This level of disproportionate minority contact  (DMC) is not unique to Georgia.  It’s a problem across the country.   The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is launching a study to reduce the number of minorities in contact with the juvenile justice system.  The agency has awarded a 3-year grant to Development Services Group, Inc., a Maryland consulting company.  The mission is to compare the rates of contact with the justice system for white and minority teens. Researchers will study what happens at nine different points of contact from arrest, to diversion, to detention, imprisonment or transfer to adult court.  They hope to identify promising programs that states like Georgia can use to end the DMC problem.