Health & Fitness
Council Bills Call for More Youth Resources
Council Bills Call for More Youth Resources
Baltimore City in recent years has experienced record lows in juvenile related crimes, which is directly connected to our city’s investments in programs targeted toward the youth, like summer employment and recreational opportunities.
During the past five years parents, students, teachers, elected officials and police officers have helped cut juvenile homicides by nearly 50 percent and reduce juvenile shootings by 70 percent. Since 2006, juvenile arrests have been reduced by 60 percent, as students were diverted toward youth employment and rec centers, which are proven crime deterrents.
The message is clear: early investment in youth programs pays strong dividends in the form of reduced crime down the road.
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On Monday, members of the Baltimore City Council continued to invest in our children through several pieces of legislation.
Councilman William “Pete” Welch introduced three resolutions that aim to drastically strengthen YouthWorks, Baltimore’s youth employment program.
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The first resolution would create a permanent committee to help expand fundraising and job placement, which would help the program expand and improve its effectiveness. The second resolution would automate the registration process and the final resolution would expand the current summer employment program into a year-round youth employment program.
My colleagues on the Council and I supported Councilman Welch’s resolutions because collectively they offer a solid way to help continue Baltimore’s hard-fought gains in juvenile-related crimes.
Also, Councilman Bill Henry introduced resolutions to increase funding for after school programs and youth summer jobs. Councilman Henry also introduced a pair of resolutions calling on the state to divert funding for a proposed youth detention center toward recreation and education and for the city to dedicate a portion of its demolition budget to help fund the deconstruction of vacant homes by ex-offenders.
The next meeting of the City Council will be held on Monday, March 5, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. Please visit the Baltimore City Council’s website for information on upcoming hearings and Council meetings.