Studies show that poverty contributes to an increased crime rate. Other studies show that the majority of criminals in prison had no father at home, or had a relative who had already been in prison. With rising numbers of children in poor and single-parent homes and a prison population that has more than doubled in the last decade, the implications are that juvenile crime statistics will continue to rise. At the same time more children are at risk, the juvenile justice system is suffering from cutback after cutback. With more violent crime, the Juvenile Court is stretched to handle more difficult, time-consuming and costly cases.
More teens are on waiting lists to be tried as adults.
And while more violent teens are referred to the California Youth Authority, the facilities have been overcrowded for years, so many violent offenders are released on probation. These early-release offenders are then more likely to commit more crimes. For many who have spent their teen years in the justice system, release into the community without any other skills is a recipe for disaster-yet there are no funds for training or transition skills. Many after-school programs, parks and recreation programs, sports programs and tutoring programs have fallen victim to the Orange County bankruptcy or cutbacks in federal spending on social programs. Violent crime costs everyone-and it is particularly hard on our children.