How Young is Too Young to Babysit?

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Parents across the country are talking about the 11-year-old babysitter in Sandy Springs charged with murdering a 2-year-oldgirl this week. Some are asking if it's wise to leave a child in the care of an 11-year-old. Time magazine tries to answer this question. It looks like there are enough 11-year-olds babysitting that the American Red Cross has a course designed for 11 to 15-year-olds, teaching things like how to keep kids safe and how to handle emergencies. Time reports there doesn’t seem to be any government regulation on babysitting.

Black Boys Suspended from School 3 Times More than White Boys, Says New Study

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Middle school kids nationwide, specifically minorities, are facing out of school suspension at alarming rates, according to a study published by the Southern Poverty Law Center called Suspended Education: Urban Middle Schools in Crisis. Atlanta is one of 18 urban school districts the researchers studied. Using data from more than 9,000 middle schools they discovered a suspension rate of 11.2 percent. But the suspension rate for black boys was dramatically higher at 28.3 percent…almost three times higher than the rate for white boys.The research focuses on middle schools and warns suspensions in these grades may have significant, long-term repercussions for students. Also, few previous studies have separated middle school data from that for all grades, masking the extraordinarily high frequency of suspension in middle schools.

Advocacy Group Petitions to Change GA’s Juvenile Code

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A national advocacy group is pushing a petition campaign for passage of a new juvenile code in Georgia. Change.org, a national website that provides daily news and information about social justice issues, is circulating an online petition in support of SB 292. According to the website, 38 people have signed up in support. Among many issues, the state bill focuses on:

Keeping kids tried as adults in juvenile detention centers until they turn 17, rather than putting them in adult prison. (Supporters say this will help protect incarcerated children from being victimized behind bars).

Elementary Kids Accused of Gang Activity – Mayoral Candidate Intervenes

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Should children face felony charges for a school fight? The issue has become political in Bibb County. Mayoral candidate C. Jack Ellis is supporting four boys, ages 9 and 10, charged with felony gang violence, according to WMAZ-13 TV. The boys put another child in a chokehold in March during a fight at school. Ellis maintains this was not an act of gang violence because there was no blood, broken bones or weapons.

Millions Go to Youth Programs Nationwide

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WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced $60 million in discretionary awards to leading national organizations to strengthen, expand and implement youth mentoring activities and youth development programming throughout the nation. An additional $37 million in grants to local mentoring organizations will be awarded in Fiscal Year 2010. These grants are administered by OJP's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. "These awards are part of an ongoing commitment by the Department of Justice to give young people an opportunity to participate in activities that will enrich their lives," said Laurie O. Robinson, OJP's Assistant Attorney General. "Through these organizations, youth are provided programs that help keep them in school, out of trouble, and most importantly, put them in direct contact with caring adults who provide crucial support and guidance."

Win Money for Telling Your Recovery Story

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September is Recovery Month and to celebrate, the Addiction Technology Transfer Center has an essay contest called In My Own Words. They want family members of loved ones struggling with addiction or long-term recovery to tell their stories. The first place winner will get $500. National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is aimed at supporting the treatment of people with alcohol and drug problems. Recovery Month focuses on family support for those dealing with addiction. Contest entries are due by midnight on October 15.

Report: Spend Less on Prisons, More on Programs

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Although crime is down, incarceration rates are up, according to a new report by the Justice Policy Institute, which is dedicated to finding solutions to major social issues. The report notes a rise in racial disparities and asks why states are spending more money on prisons during an economic crisis. The JPI makes these points about kids and crime:
States with higher rates of high school graduation and college enrollment have lower crime rates than states with lower educational attainment levels. Investments in job training and employment are associated with heightened public safety. Youth who are employed are more likely to avoid justice involvement.

Congress to Grill Craigslist on Sex Ads – GA Advocates Applaud

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Advocates fighting the child prostitution problem in Atlanta are cautiously optimistic about Wednesday’s congressional hearing targeting Craigslist. The world’s largest online ad service is sending William Clint Powell, the director of customer service and law enforcement relations for Craigslist, to answer questions from the House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee about adult ads and the role that online services play in child prostitution. “[Craigslist is] definitely the market leader in [prostitution] and as they go, others may go,” said Kaffie McCullough, campaign director of Atlanta’s A Future Not a Past. The group is fighting the child prostitution problem in Georgia with research, intervention, and education while pushing for prosecution of pimps and johns. Under growing pressure from attorneys general across the country, Craigslist deactivated its adult services section in the U.S. on September 3, but the section remains open in other countries.

Monitoring Kids’ Social Lives

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AOL now offers SafeSocial, a program that scans Facebook, Twitter and Myspace to find and report inappropriate behavior, such as bullying, drug use, or suicidal words. This is not the same as the parental controls being offered by cell phone companies. This is for parents who actually talk to their kids. AOL makes a point that SafeSocial is not an outlet for parents to spy on their kids. Parents must invite their kids who must accept the invitation to be monitored by SafeSocial.

Teen’s Emotions End in Triple Murder

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Adults often wonder what kids are thinking when they do horrible things. The story of 17-year-old Anthony Tyrone Terrell, convicted of killing his own family, reveals a tragic thought process that came out in open court last Friday. Terrell had an argument with his mother about a girl. Rather than ending with a slammed door, Terrell killed his mother and two younger sisters. The AJC published his statement about what went on in his head:
“I never planned what happened that day,” Terrell told Superior Court Judge Debra Turner.