* Overhaul obsolete federal/state/local tax, child labor and work codes, including, school truancy, foster care and social service (CPS/Welfare) policies, currently used to punish everyone--rather than empower communities.
* Identify potential hot spots and groups, bullies, geeks, gurus, pacifists, and tyrants, stop labeling them ADA, ADHD, ODD, etc., during school, those meager investments upfront pay handsome dividends in-arrears. (Jail/Rehabs)
* Create stellar programs that target and reward 'Average, At-risk' and 'Marginal' youth; similar to strategies aimed at gifted students, this group of students have been ignored for decades, use this effort to erect jobs before leaving school (they are future tax-patrons).
* Clearly define behaviors adults expect from youth, strictly enforce and reward them, publicly and uniformly, handle deviant behaviors--privately and promptly.
* Prepare annual reports in those localities and share them widely with stakeholders.
Obviously, creating work or jobs for youth won't eliminate violence. But, comments by a former slave two centuries ago vibrate louder today: "No race can prosper 'til it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem." (Booker T. Washington/1900s)
What's next America? Aside from college, military service or jail, do plans exist for millions of youth only wanting a job or work after finishing high school?
Sources: 1) Socialnomics: www.socialnomics.net/2010/04/13/over-50-of-the-worlds-
population-is-under-30-social-media-on-the-rise/;
2) Global Issues: www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats#src
3) Economist: www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/02/age_and_leadership;
4) U.S. Dept of Labor/BLS: http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm#age;
5) OECD: www.oecd.org/els/soc/oecd2013-inequality-and-poverty(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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