Brighter Futures study: Substantial drops in delinquency, child abuse
In a period of increasing poverty and unemployment, Milwaukee County has experienced significant decreases in juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and child abuse and neglect over the last five to six years, according to a recent study of key statistics related to youth health and well-being by Community Advocates’ Milwaukee Brighter Futures Initiative.
Milwaukee Brighter Futures, which since 2001 has coordinated annual state funding for 20-30 Milwaukee County agencies serving at-risk youth and families, found that in four key statistical areas, evidence-based prevention programs have helped to improve that population’s health and well-being in Milwaukee County. These statistics show that:
• Juvenile delinquency is down. From 2002-08 the number of referrals to Milwaukee County Children’s Court declined from 4,847 to 3,425 (29 percent). Additionally, the number of youth committed to juvenile corrections declined from 300 in 2002 to 214 in 2008 (29 percent).
• Child abuse and neglect has decreased. The number of substantiated maltreatment cases dropped from 2,188 cases in 2002 to 1,692 in 2007 (the last year for which data are currently available), a 23 percent decrease.
• Births to teen mothers dropped from 2,326 in 2001 to 2,085 in 2007 (10 percent).
• The number of students that dropped out of Milwaukee Public Schools has decreased from 3,038 in the 2000-01 academic year to 2,376 in 2007-08 (10 percent).
“These results speak to the efforts of many to help change the story for low-income families in Milwaukee. We know that targeted prevention programs have played an important role in this,” said Reggie Bicha, Secretary of the Department of Children and Families, which provides Brighter Futures funding for programs in nine Wisconsin counties and the Menomonee Indian Tribe.
“When you direct successful programs and services at the most at-risk youth in our community, you can not only profoundly affect their lives and the lives of their families, but also improve the community as a whole.”
This progress is particularly remarkable given the increases in Milwaukee poverty and unemployment. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of people who lived below poverty in Milwaukee County rose from 15.5 percent in 2001 to 18.1 percent in 2007.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the average unemployment rate in Milwaukee County grew from 4.6 percent in 2001 to 5.1 percent in 2007.
Brighter Futures recommended that in order to sustain positive trends in key categories, the initiative must continue to invest in prevention and intervention programs that are widely accessible to community residents, provide opportunities for youth to develop sustained trusting relationships with caring adults, and provide education and skills development that are evidence- based and culturally appropriate.
“Brighter Futures provides crucial resources to local community programs proven to be effective at helping young people make positive choices,” said Eric Meaux, Administrator of the Milwaukee County Delinquency and Court Services Division.
“While our primary response to delinquency often involves tertiary interventions, early prevention that reaches out to our children in the communities in which they live is an essential key strategy to reducing juvenile delinquency.
I applaud the commitment of Brighter Futures-funded programs, as well as the Department of Children and Families and Community Advocates.”
Evidence-Based Services for At-Risk Youth To advance their mission to protect children, strengthen families and build communities, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families allocated $2.5 million in Brighter Futures funding to Community Advocates in 2009. Community Advocates, in turn, coordinates and monitors the 21 local prevention programs.
Agencies engage in a competitive bidding process focusing on benchmarks set by the state legislature: preventing youth violence and juvenile delinquency, alcohol and other drug use, child abuse and neglect, and teen and non-marital pregnancy; and encouraging high school graduation and vocational preparedness.
Milwaukee Brighter Futures programs are designed to engage participants in activities on a long-term, repeated basis, are thoroughly researched and evaluated, and are evidence-based.
These programs include Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee’s Sista Pride, PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc. and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Opportunities Unlimited.
In 2008, Brighter Futures-funded programs aimed at long-term engagement with at-risk populations reached 13,743 children, youth and adults.
“These evidence-based programs have been proven to work—by funding programs that invest time and attention in our children, Milwaukee reaps social, fiscal, safety and health benefits that far outweigh the original cost,” said Joe Volk, Community Advocates Executive Director.
Diverse program activities include sports and recreation, youth leadership councils, overnight retreats and neighborhood clean-ups. In many cases, programs provide case management services, and therapy and counseling for individuals and families who have experienced violence.
“Many of the kids that come to Silver Spring are thirsting for a structured, positive environment,” said 19-year-old Chaz Gary, who first attended Silver Spring’s day care program and later helped to found the M.A.L.E. (Maturing and Loving Each Other) program for young men.
“The counselors and staff have been here for so many years that they become like family. They pushed me to be a positive role model, and when I did get off track they pulled me back.”
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center—which serves approximately 240 boys and girls in Brighter Futures-funded programs such as M.A.L.E. and L.A.D.Y. (Loving and Developing Yourself)--works to increase self-worth and self-esteem in their participants by engaging in youth leadership projects such as food drives, providing training on public speaking, and hosting talks by formerly low-income men and women about how to make it out of poverty. Additionally, participants are encouraged to serve as positive role models by mentoring elementary school children at nearby Browning Academy.
“There’s a great power in putting positive young people around others who may be on the fence--positive kids have a tremendous effect on their peers to make good decisions,” said Anthony McHenry, Assistant Executive Director of the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center. “Silver Spring programs are designed to put our highest-achieving youth in leadership positions to exert a positive influence on their peers.
We see this ripple effect of achievement and responsibility borne out in statistics showing declines in teen pregnancy and juvenile delinquency.” In addition to the 21 funded agencies, approximately 70 others participate in Milwaukee Brighter Futures’ network of regular monthly meetings, work groups and training initiatives, all centered on sharing best practices in youth, family and neighborhood development. “Improving the development structure for at-risk youth and families is a community-wide effort and responsibility, and by no means is Milwaukee Brighter Futures the sole leader in this arena,” said Racquel Bell, Milwaukee Brighter Futures Project Coordinator.
“In fact, we’re proud to be a partner with Milwaukee’s Community Development Block Grant, Safe and Sound, the United Way and others in working on behalf of kids, teens and their families to curb risky behavior, increase school attendance and graduation rates, and cut down on the factors that lead to abuse.”
