Items of interest

 

Ø      Mentoring

Some of the more popular ones are to be found at:

The big brother, big sister program: http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.diJKKYPLJvH/b.1539751/k.BDB6/Home.htm

The Amazing Kids program: http://www.amazing-kids.org/mentors.html

Solutions for America healthy families and children program: http://www.solutionsforamerica.org/healthyfam/mentoring-programs.html

 

Ø      After school

Although there are several after school programs, some are outstanding in the extent of detail that they go into in making a case for after school programs. One of these is the Afterschool Alliance with the following web site: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/

A federal government web site supports after school programs by providing valuable information and resources on how to obtain funding to support and sustain an after school program. This web site is available at: http://www.afterschool.gov/

Score Educational Centers provide after school assistance to students. The web site is: http://www.escore.com/index.php?gateway=1

 

Ø      Other

Certain programs cater to the needs of parents and children with disabilities. Some of these could be found in the following web sites:

The Texas department of state health services: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/cshcn/

The federation for children with special needs: http://fcsn.org/index.php

The New horizons for learning web site has been dispensing information since 1980. The proprietors have announced that they are retiring but the web site would go on for some time to come, with no definitive end time stated: http://www.newhorizons.org/nhfl/products/front_products.htm

 

 

A small percentage of juveniles in the state of Texas commit criminal offenses. The authorities here, thus have various ways of dealing with the erring juveniles. For more information on juvenile trends take advantage of our link to the FBI uniform crime reports (UCR) provided here:

     http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_32.html

The FBI reports are for arrest of persons below the age of 18 years of age. One individual arrested ten times would be reported as ten arrests not as one arrest.

 

For Texas figures, including a crime clock, please, visit: http://www.tjpc.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RPTSTAT2004.pdf

You should note that the figures given here are referrals (not arrests) to the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; so if you are interested in juveniles in residential placement, you would want to see the Texas Youth Commission figures at: http://www.tyc.state.us/research/growth_charts.html

 

 

 

Drug addiction is a pressing concern in the state. There are a variety of drugs that our youth find attractive and with which they experiment. In order to help combat the menace of drug addiction, the federal government is educating the general public and the children in particular. To this end, entire web sites have been set up by the government. For instance, there is the teen drug abuse web site—

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/ in which one could learn all one needs to know about teen drug abuse.

 

One rather notorious drug that is being abused by the children in the state is 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or 3, 4-MDMA or Ecstasy. You could click on the following link to retrieve vital information on MDMA: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_xtc1.asp

 

A current hot topic in the news is the high number of murders, suicides and multiple homicides being committed by entertainment wrestlers. A rather worrisome occurrence here is that many died in their youth with many dying before their 50^th birthday. It is suspected that anabolic steroids have contributed to the suicides and deaths. Young people could read all they need to know from this government web site if they clicked on the following link: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_ster1.asp

 

 

There are a number of alternative arrangements to juvenile confinement. States that are interested in reducing the number in confinement can choose from those listed below. Those using alternatives should send the information to: paikomi@pvamu.edu so that we can add them to our current list. Some of the more common ones are listed hereunder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missing children is much too common and disturbing a phenomenon. Here is a list of Internet sources for help with resources on missing children.

·        The following web site features precautions for parents, children, and schools.

 

·        The Missing Children Information Clearinghouse (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) web site provides information on how to educate children on personal safety and a safe passage to and from school.

http://www3.fdle.state.fl.us/MCICSearch/SafetyTips.asp 

 

·        The following web site features seven safety tips for children. A click on Learning Center opens a menu containing: http://www.texascenterforthemissing.org/speakers.asp --Educational Programs--that features training, shows, and presentations geared to providing information to families, care providers, and the community. In addition, the link Resources to Parents: http://www.texascenterforthemissing.org/parents.asp also from the Learning Center draw down menu provides further information and links to child safety.

http://www.texascenterforthemissing.org/7safetytips.asp 

 

·        The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) also provides Internet safety guidelines for parents at:

 

Foundation which is sponsored by a coalition of Internet corporations and public interest organizations to ensure that those using the Internet have worthwhile experiences. The web site features safety tips for children, teens, and families.

 

·        The safe kids’ web site and the companion safe teens’ web site are devoted to ensuring that kids and teens are safe as they surf the Internet. You couldaccess the kids’ web site from the teens’ web site and vice versa.