School Crime Data Reveals Safety Concerns for Georgia Children

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A new report on school crime and safety shows that students and teachers still have serious concerns in Georgia and across the nation. The Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics compiled data from 2008 - 2009 to give us a snapshot of what’s going on in public high schools across the state:

8.2% of Georgia students said they were threatened or injured with a weapon at school
4.2% admitted they carried a weapon to school during the month prior to the survey
11.7% were involved in a physical fight on school grounds
32.9% said drugs were available to them on school property
4.2% admitted using alcohol on school grounds
7,000 teachers (5.8%) said they were threatened with injury by a student
4,900 teachers (4%) said they were physically attacked by a student
35.2% of teachers said student misbehavior interfered with their teaching

The national snapshot is somewhat different, since the surveys included different age groups.  A startling number of children – 1.2 million – were victims of crime at school.  They reported 619,000 thefts and 743,100 violent crimes and assaults.  (Students surveyed in 2008 were 12-18 years old)  Here are some other surprising numbers:

15 homicides and 7 suicides of children at school during the 2008-2009 school year
8% of students were threatened with a weapon at school
20% of schools reported gang activity
32% of students said they were bullied in 2007

Congressional Earmarks Fund Georgia Programs for Kids; Future Earmarks in Jeopardy

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The Justice Department has published the list of OJJDP congressional earmarks for the 2010 fiscal year.  Twenty-one programs in Georgia got funding for a total of $3.2 million.  Here are some of the largest awards along with congressional sponsors:

$500,000   City of Valdosta    Sponsors: Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Savannah), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
$300,000   Georgia Bureau of Investigation     Sponsor:  Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
$250,000    University of West Georgia    Sponsors:  Rep. Phil Gingrey(R-Marietta), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
$250,000    Rockdale County    Sponsors:  Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Lithonia), Rep. David Scott (D-Jonesboro), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
$250,000    Project Rebound, Inc.    Sponsor:  Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Albany)
$200,000    City of Moultrie Police Department    Sponsors:  Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Macon), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
$150,000    Truancy Intervention Project Georgia, Inc.     Sponsor:  Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

Earmarks may be on the endangered list next year, according to Youth Today, which tracks federal earmarks for youth projects.  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Tea Party supporters want a ban on earmarks. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) are also on board. President Obama wants to limit earmarks, and some congressional Democrats facing reelection in 2012 are under pressure to stop the practice. Earmarks aren’t the only source of federal funding for juvenile justice projects. Another $2,480,463 in competitive grants also went to agencies based in Georgia. Here’s that list from OJJDP:

$349,969     Family drug court programs in Chatham County Juvenile Court
$300,000   GBI law enforcement strategies to protect children from commercial sexual exploitation
$409,390    Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the GBI
$296,104     Juvenile Drug Courts and Mentoring Initiative in Columbus
$625,000     Young Adult Guidance Center, Inc. for the Second Chance Act Juvenile Mentoring Initiative
$500,000     The Center for Working Families, Inc. for Strategic Enhancement to Mentoring Programs

In addition, $42 million was allocated to the Boys and Girls Clubs for mentoring programs across the nation through their headquarters in Atlanta

Athens Group Has Plan to Help At-Risk Kids Graduate High School and College

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An Athens-based nonprofit is working on a 10-year plan that focuses on getting low-income students to finish high school and graduate from college, according to Athens Online. After winning a $500,00 federal planning grant, a group called Whatever It Takes has put together an extensive team, which includes former juvenile court consultants, school administrators and professional writers. The nonprofit is also working with the University of Georgia. So far, the plan outlines how various community organizations will provide kids with things like academic support, mentoring, counseling, after-school programs, career development, intervention and health care. If approved by the U.S. Department of Education next fall, Whatever It Takes could win $10 million each over the next 10 years to put the plan into action.

Special Needs Victims and Witnesses: Free Training Seminar

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The Office of the Child Advocate/Child Fatality Review is pleased to announce the following training: “Special Needs Victims and Witnesses: Best Practices in Investigations Involving Children with Autism and Other Communication Disabilities”

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Winfield Hall, 3890 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30096

Course Description:

Recent data suggests that 1 in 100 children and 1 in 70 boys are currently being diagnosed with some form of autism.  Special needs children are at increased risk of abuse and there is growing concern that the child welfare and criminal justice systems are neither equipped nor trained to appropriately investigate such cases.  This course addresses the specific communication issues typical in cases involving victims and witnesses with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other disabilities affecting communication.  Some of these typical core issues in cases involving special needs victims and witnesses include: overcoming communication issues, recognizing the significance of the disability to the case, and how best to utilize the resources available for assistance.  Case studies will be utilized to discuss approaching investigations, interactions with families of special needs children, prevention strategies, child protection issues and charging decisions. 

Our instructors:

Lori Brown:  Lori is the Director of Forensic Services for the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.  Lori is a highly qualified forensic interviewer who has trained statewide and nationally on best practices in forensic interviews of children with disabilities. Rachelle Carnesale, JD: Currently the acting director of the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate, Rachelle is a former child abuse prosecutor who continues to regularly consult with and train child abuse professionals at the state and national levels. Dave Nelson, MS, LPC: A licensed counselor, Dave is the Director of The Community School in Decatur, Georgia.  Dave specializes in working with children, adolescents, and their families with a focus on developing the interactive, emotional, and learning capabilities of children.  Dave is a national expert on ASD and the issues surrounding that population.  

Who should come?  Anyone interested in the topic.  While this training was prepared with district attorneys, public defenders, law enforcement, medical professionals, and school personnel, this topic certainly affects other professions and therefore, all are welcome.  Come learn how to better investigate your cases involving this growing group of children.  Bring your questions as the speakers anticipate an interactive session with the audience.   

Please RSVP to Rachel Davidson via email: radavidson@oca.ga.gov and cc: rachelhdavidson@gmail.com or via phone: 404-656-4200 or 404-797-2608. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT INFORMATION TO FOLLOW: CLE, POST & DFCS (SPONSORED BY THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY’S COUNCIL OF GEORGIA), MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT AND LODGING FOR TRAVELERS OVER 60 MILES. 

AGENDA:

8:30 Registration

9:00 – 12:00 Dave Nelson, MS, LPC

Beyond Rainman:

Understanding Individuals with

Autism Spectrum Disorders in the

Context of Law Society, and Crime

What are the core challenges of Autism Spectrum

Disorders?          •  What do people with ASD “look like” and how do

                   they act?

Town Hall: Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Participant Media, Seek Solutions to Education Crisis

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 28, 2010 – Media Advisory            December 2, 2010 Event       Contacts:
Mitch Leff, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, (404) 861-4769
Sarah Douglas, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, (678) 521-5289

Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Participant Media Seek Solutions to Education Crisis at WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” Town Hall Meeting: “Partnering for Change - The Role of Community in Improving Education for All Children”

National Leaders in Education, Business and Government to Screen Film Excerpts and Offer Ideas for America’s Ailing Education System

When:  Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, 10 a.m. - Noon
Where: Hill Auditorium, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Visuals/Interviews
Educators, Parents, Teens, Elected Officials, Non-Profit Leaders

What:   On Thursday, December 2, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and Participant Media will host a Town Hall meeting featuring clips from the film WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” which explores the current state of education in the U.S. and follows five children whose dreams, hopes and untapped potential reveal all that is at stake at this critical moment. The Town Hall Meeting, “Partnering for Change: The Role of the Community in Improving Education for All Children,” will bring parents and teens together with top local and national education, business and government leaders, to discuss solutions to the problems in the nation’s education system. Moderator:    Bill Nigut, Southeast Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League

Panelists:    
●  Milton J. Little, President, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta   
● Roxanne Spillett, President/CEO, BGCA
● Elida Perez-Knapp, Community Development Specialist, National PTA
● Joseph Edelin, 7th Grade Chair and Social Studies Teacher, KIPP WAYS Academy, Atlanta

The National Dropout Crisis
BGCA recently launched a new campaign dedicated to tackling the nation’s high school dropout crisis.  The goal is to help kids graduate from high school, prepared with the attitude, knowledge and confidence to achieve a great future (http://www.bgca.org/whywecare/Pages/EducationCrisis.aspx.)

WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” Social Action Campaign
The WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” social action campaign seeks to accelerate a national conversation about the crisis in public education and to help ensure that every child in America gets a great education.

MOM on a Mission: Caretaker, Policy Maker, Judge and Jury

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Greetings. I am M.O.M. That is, I am a mother, but more specifically, I am mom on a mission.  My MOM qualifications include a Degree in Human Services with specializations in Counseling and Psychology, experience working in adolescent mental health facilities, Child Protective Services, the Juvenile Court system, and residential facilities. Not to mention I am struggling with being the mother of a 13 year old son. Struggling not because he is a troubled or difficult child, struggling because it is HARD and the stakes are HUGE.

Child Welfare Agencies urged to Test Parents for Drugs

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Studies show a majority of kids involved in child welfare services are affected by parents who abuse drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA released a new publication, Substance Abuse Specialists in Child Welfare Agencies and Dependency Courts. It recommends a collaboration between child welfare agencies, drug abuse counselors and parents. “The purpose of co-locating substance abuse specialists is to ensure that parents are assessed as quickly as possible, to improve parent engagement and retention in treatment, to streamline entry into treatment, and to provide consultation to child welfare and dependency court workers,” the publication explains. SAMHSA has also released Drug Testing in Child Welfare: Practice and Policy Considerations, which urges child welfare agency policymakers to use drug testing in child welfare practices.

Feds Force States to Include Child Sex Offenders on National Registry

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States have until July to pass legislation that requires juveniles to be included on the sex offender registry database. The Sex Offender Registry Notification Act (SORNA), part of the Adam Walsh Act, requires states to register kids and teens, but gives states control on how many and which juveniles are included, according to Youth Today. So far, Florida, Ohio, South Dakota and Delaware are the only states currently in compliance with SORNA. If the other 46 do not comply, they will lose a portion of the Justice Department’s Byrne Grant, which supplies criminal justice systems with millions of dollars. Attorney General Eric Holder has pushed the deadline back twice now, causing frustration among supporters of SORNA.

New Curriculum Focuses on Helping Black Teenage Boys Succeed

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A new school curriculum has been created to work on the academic and social achievement gap between black and white kids. Youth Communication Inc. publishes essays, stories, pictures and other projects created by teenagers and has developed the Real Men Resource Kit. The kit contains a full curriculum, called Real Men: Urban Teens Write About How to Be A Man, as well as an activity guide and a film based on one teen’s success story. The curriculum, which schools must purchase ($375), provides stories and lessons written by young black men who talk about breaking out of stereotypes and achieving their goals. Here’s a sample:
“Now that I’m about to graduate from University Heights, I realize that many things about it have helped to make me a better person.

Michelle Barclay: Reflecting on Being Thankful

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I sat in the Fulton County Juvenile Court audience on Saturday, November 20th , with my son and my husband, watching the joyful and moving ceremony of 23 families who were celebrating their adoptions on National Adoption Day . Afterward, I thought about my earlier conversation this past week remembering Fulton’s Terrell Peterson who suffered and died at the age of 5 when he should have been protected by our child welfare system and adopted by a loving family. These two events might seem like they are far apart but they are linked in my mind because November is also the 10 year anniversary of Terrell’s picture on the cover of Time Magazine with the title of “The Shame of Foster Care." Terrell’s tragic case deeply affected many people. For my family, Terrell was the catalyst of working with Emory University School of Law to create the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic , for others it was the call to become foster parents , CASAs or mentors.