"At Risk": what does it mean?

[alexalonso]

Have you ever thought of the category "at-risk" that is used to explain or categorize many of the youth that become gang members?

In some cases, these young adults crossed beyond being "at-risk" because they have already shown behavior that puts them in what Andre Norman calls "proven-risk."

He writes about it here: http://www.streetgangs.com/newsletter/0 ... orman.html

Its a short article. what do you think?

[Mraka]

I have,but not exately about the article.
Most I grew up with,or I got to know,are not in a typical category,any would think, led to their disturbed/ing behaviour.
Not one of their cases is probably mentioned in this article.
Since some act illegal,from there on it is another matter.

[NW10]

In terms of Gang Prevention i think the proven risk category is appropriate as juveniles of this background (who enter the criminal life) do not all participate in gangs, there are many who become husslers, criminal altrepreneurs, street level dealers using no/little violence, thiefs and burglars.

The proven risk category would be an advantage to further help the identification of at risk youth likely to join in a gang.

[Noog]

Seems about right

[Cold Bear]

I think a youth is at-risk if they know how to get away with illegal activities, but also can deal with the consequences easily. When the consequences don't scare them anymore, you have a at-risk youth.

Also I would go as far to say that kids from ANY types of broken or one-parent homes are automatically at-risk of joining gangs. ALL kids get into some kind of shit but the ones with the most to prove are the ones without solid families.

[Anesis]

The at-risk that I am familiar with means at-risk of not graduating high school. In Texas, at-risk includes a large group of people, including students in poverty, students who have failed two or more classes in a semester, students who are homeless, etc.

Gang activity includes at-risk youth, but it is not the only indicator and neither does it mean an individual won't graduate.

You can identify at-risk or high-risk students, but if you don't have any intervention, it won't do much good to identify them. The schools that I have been involved either have NO intervention for what was considered "high risk" or else they were put in a crappy "Teen Leadership" class.

Most schools (at least teachers) are not made aware of any high risk students. I have had one student who physically attacked a football coach at his previous school and he was classified os ODD (oppositional defiance disorder). Did anyone tell me that he attacked a previous teacher or that he was on parole? Did anyone tell me that he has violent tendencies? No. And he had "proven" himself many times.

I think "proven risk" may be illegal, at least for schools.

[footprints1840]

i am looking to build on this topic, i created it a few years back. because so many service providers would get funding for "high-risk" kids, they mention gang members then shut them out for non-violent kids,

[footprints1840]

The at-risk that I am familiar with means at-risk of not graduating high school. In Texas, at-risk includes a large group of people, including students in poverty, students who have failed two or more classes in a semester, students who are homeless, etc.

Gang activity includes at-risk youth, but it is not the only indicator and neither does it mean an individual won't graduate.

You can identify at-risk or high-risk students, but if you don't have any intervention, it won't do much good to identify them. The schools that I have been involved either have NO intervention for what was considered "high risk" or else they were put in a crappy "Teen Leadership" class.

Most schools (at least teachers) are not made aware of any high risk students. I have had one student who physically attacked a football coach at his previous school and he was classified os ODD (oppositional defiance disorder). Did anyone tell me that he attacked a previous teacher or that he was on parole? Did anyone tell me that he has violent tendencies? No. And he had "proven" himself many times.

I think "proven risk" may be illegal, at least for schools.

proven risk is just a term, it moves the high end of high risk kids into their own group.

[footprints1840]

I have read all the thoughts posted on proven risk, The term was created to move kids into a proper grouping for services, when funds are released everyone rounds up or mentions the gang members/ tough kids, but once they get the funds they only allow nice kids from bad zip codes into their program, leaving the kids really in most need out. since any kid is at/high risk the funders have no way to make sure a service provider includes the violent kids, by creating proven risk they no longer can play the shell game with our kids, remember like everything else its all about money

[NuyoricanSoul]

I think the real issue is the social situations which give kids the idea that they can't make it any other way, the factors which give them such a sense of desperation, this is what needs to be addressed. At risk kids aren't about crime or criminal inclinations, they're victims of society who see no way of getting out of a cycle of violence and poverty. Why is it that society ignores their plight and lets the cycle go on? The government gives money to "tsunami" survivors but where is the money to help Compton, South Central, South Bronx, Detroit????

[footprints1840]

I think the real issue is the social situations which give kids the idea that they can't make it any other way, the factors which give them such a sense of desperation, this is what needs to be addressed. At risk kids aren't about crime or criminal inclinations, they're victims of society who see no way of getting out of a cycle of violence and poverty. Why is it that society ignores their plight and lets the cycle go on? The government gives money to "tsunami" survivors but where is the money to help Compton, South Central, South Bronx, Detroit????

the money is coming in to the non profits and they kkep the loot and give us pennies
footprints

[Mraka]

it is difficult to identify a problem in schools.so do some stupid in school and it shows only the peak of a hill.or could mean nothing at all.
I knew peeps that would do stupid things the minute they left the house,but in school you wouldn`t hear a word from them.

[Pumpkin2]

AT RISK..........IT MEANS YOU HAVE RISK FACTORS FOR VIOLENCE DEATH OR INCAREATION IN YOUR LIFE.AND HERE IS A LIST OF THOSE RISK FACTORS...........1.GUNS 2.DRUGS 3. ALCOHOL 4. DESTRUCTIVE LANGUAGE 5. I DONT CARE ATTITUDE 6.MATERIAL VALUES OVER PEOPLE 7. A NEGATIVE VIEW OF WOMEN 8.FEARSHIP 9. ENVIRONMENT(FAMILY/NEIGHBORHOOD)....THE MORE RISK FACTORS YOU HAVE IN YOURE LIFE THE MORE AT RISK YOU ARE. AN PERSON CAN CONTROL ALL BUT ONE OF THE RISK FACTORS(#9).......SO HOW MANY RISK FACTORS ARE IN YOURE LIFE........CAUSE ONE CAN KILL YOU OR TAKE YOURE FREEDOM.

[NW10]

in England at risk youths are placed into 3 categories:

Peer Group:
Relatively small unorganised groups sharing the same space and common history. Their involvement in crime is mostly non-serious in nature and not necessary to the groups identity.

This is where intervention needs to take place as 'promotion' from this group leads to Gangs:

These are the street based groups who see themselves and are seen by others as a 'gang' whose identity is shaped by crime and violence. These groups are emerging in UK cities and are very established in parts of London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow mainly and to a lesser extent Liverpool which compromises more of the third group Organised Criminal Groups:

these groups involvement in crime is financially orientated. Crime is their occupation.

Intervention at the Peer Group stage is important however because many police forces have difficulties defing these groups and observing them there movement from Peer Group onwards has become a problem

[qbone]

Through my experiance at risk is puting your life on the line for something you believe in doing weather its gangbanging r not .life is a risk everyday no one is for sure to succed in there daily task so all is at risk life ,career,joy and happiness.its not just for youth its adults to we must keep at risk a full
risk but sometime u have to take that risk in order to make it where you want to in life........thats my version of at risk i was a proven risk growing up where i come from but overall i made it past the proven lifetime i was expected to make 30. so u see swome of you who have been called at risk youth still believe you can be all that you want and still make it in life its just a risk more when you choose the life of a gangster.....

[Pumpkin2]

Have you ever thought of the category "at-risk" that is used to explain or categorize many of the youth that become gang members?

In some cases, these young adults crossed beyond being "at-risk" because they have already shown behavior that puts them in what Andre Norman calls "proven-risk."

He writes about it here: http://www.streetgangs.com/newsletter/0 ... orman.html

Its a short article. what do you think?

AT RISK MEANS TO ME THAT U HAVE RISK FACTORS IN YOUR LIFE FOR VIOLENCE..GUNS...DRUGS...I DONT CARE ATTITUDE....ALCOHOL .......NEGATIVE VIEW OF WOMEN......MATERIAL VALUE OVER PEOPLE...........DESTRUCTIVE LANGAUE...N/HOOD & ENIVIROMENT.....THE MORE RISK FACTORS IN YOUR LIFE THE MORE AT RISK YOU ARE..FOR DEATH AND JAIL......YOU CAN CONTROL ALL OF THEM BUT ONE .N/HOOD & ENIVIORMENT.YOU CAN DECREASE YOUR RISK BY ELIMINATING THESE RISK FACTORS.THE MORE U HAVE THE MORE U ARE AT RISK.

[Old Shatterhand]

I believe his argument is valid regarding the sorting problem; however, he is unknowingly looking at a mere twig on the very large tree of government bureaucracy.

But sure... fix this problem and change policy so that at risk youth are classified separately from proven risk youth. It's a good idea.

[Anonymous20]

Have you ever thought of the category "at-risk" that is used to explain or categorize many of the youth that become gang members?

In some cases, these young adults crossed beyond being "at-risk" because they have already shown behavior that puts them in what Andre Norman calls "proven-risk."

He writes about it here: http://www.streetgangs.com/newsletter/0 ... orman.html

Its a short article. what do you think?

AT RISK MEANS TO ME THAT U HAVE RISK FACTORS IN YOUR LIFE FOR VIOLENCE..GUNS...DRUGS...I DONT CARE ATTITUDE....ALCOHOL .......NEGATIVE VIEW OF WOMEN......MATERIAL VALUE OVER PEOPLE...........DESTRUCTIVE LANGAUE...N/HOOD & ENIVIROMENT.....THE MORE RISK FACTORS IN YOUR LIFE THE MORE AT RISK YOU ARE..FOR DEATH AND JAIL......YOU CAN CONTROL ALL OF THEM BUT ONE .N/HOOD & ENIVIORMENT.YOU CAN DECREASE YOUR RISK BY ELIMINATING THESE RISK FACTORS.THE MORE U HAVE THE MORE U ARE AT RISK.

you should be more clear because you are using the word "risk" to define "risk", ya know?

[MiChuhSuh]

Basically I think all kids should be treated as "at risk" and nurtured to grow as good, respectable adults, not just people that live in certain areas, etc.

Of course the govenrment and charities should allocate based on "higher risk" areas, but for parents, teachers, etc., they should assume all the responisibilities of giving each child a good upbringing.

Because even if the chance of gangs or drugs, etc. are slim, every child can at the very least do something like run away, drop out, and for girls become a prostitute, etc. no matter what their situation is.

As for high risk, I would say it increases with living in an area with a high concentration of aspects that Pumpkin2 talked about.

[Old Shatterhand]

Of course the govenrment and charities should allocate based on "higher risk" areas

It is becoming ever riskier legally for charitable organization's field people to effect real change in these areas. The laws have changed so much over the past three decades. I'm not talking about a non profit spending the money donated to their 501-C(3). I'm talking about the guy on the ground. The volunteer or the non profit employee field worker. He has to be careful today. Imagine being on the street at night talking to gangmembers and a drug bust comes down. He gets swept up despite his legitimate position as a gang counselor with a charitible organization. In the old days they would just let him go. Today he might be initially pressured to admit guilt of some kind and threatened. He might have to fight to prove his innocence. The environment has changed. There is a definite swing away from prevention and reform to locking people up and throwing away the key. And it is getting worse imo.

[childrenRAgift]

Thank you for this insightful point regarding the challenges faced by non profits and community based organizations. It would appear that effective prevention or intervention programs are, among other ways, undermined (1) by law enforcement expectations that that intervention programs become psuedo informing agencies, (2) by defunding or eliminating funding altogether, or (3) denying the legitimacy of outreach workers who have knowledge of and respect on the streets, and who can have the greater impact on youth looking for dignified and safe alternatives to their current lifestyle. Recenlty, I read a newsletter article distributed by a law enforcement agency that stated, "Unfortunately, the jail business is big business in California." Sadly, that statement is true, and the economic incentive the political, social, economic, and educational landscape which significantly contributes to the growth of this business places any effective prevention and/or intervention program at risk of being rendered ineffective or dismantled altogether.

In the struggle for positive change,
childrenRAgift

Of course the govenrment and charities should allocate based on "higher risk" areas

It is becoming ever riskier legally for charitable organization's field people to effect real change in these areas. The laws have changed so much over the past three decades. I'm not talking about a non profit spending the money donated to their 501-C(3). I'm talking about the guy on the ground. The volunteer or the non profit employee field worker. He has to be careful today. Imagine being on the street at night talking to gangmembers and a drug bust comes down. He gets swept up despite his legitimate position as a gang counselor with a charitible organization. In the old days they would just let him go. Today he might be initially pressured to admit guilt of some kind and threatened. He might have to fight to prove his innocence. The environment has changed. There is a definite swing away from prevention and reform to locking people up and throwing away the key. And it is getting worse imo.

[shaun_zach]

I know this is an old thread but I feel that it is one that needs to be addressed as often as possible. Like Pumpkin2 stated at-risk means that there are factors in your life (negative) that can cause you to become a part of the justice system. It's not just about being a gang banger, there are also kids out there just hustlin i.e. sellin drugs to get by and help their families, you also have teenage prostitutes, all types of robberies, school drop out and teen pregnacies. The gov allocates the money to all the non-profit organization and those that sit on the board do not use that money for the intended purpose. It is true that some organizations tend to seclude higher risk are proven risk which are the kids that have already been through the juvenile system and is heading for the adult system. We can not exclude none of these kids. Some are harder to reach than others but you got to keep tryin. It is easier to mold and change the thought process of a child or teenager than an adult. At times the governement does not recognize the problems that occur in the hood because they are too busy trying to save the third world countries, a prime example is The Katrina Disaters. This disaster took at risk youth from one bad environment into an even worse environment. By this I mean they were uprooted from what little home and life they had to some of them being totally homeless and having to adjust to life in another city where they were treated as outcast and outsiders. We can not just focus on those kids that are in or about to join gangs we have to deal with all aspects of the criminal lifestyle.

[kay]

I think of at risk as meaning that someone is in a position where they may do something they wouldn't want to in order to get by, whether it's slanging dope or working the streets to make money to feed yourself, family kids, etc.
So many things can put a person 'at risk' for a lot of other stuff.
The first things I think of in terms of at risk with gangs or crime:

-Having a single parent (or even 2 parents) that need to work long hours or more then one job.
-Having parents who abuse drugs or alcohol.
-Living in an area where kids are exposed to drugs or crime in their day to day, ie, walking to school etc.

[Pumpkin2]

you have a high chance for going to jail or death.

[Garf]

The best thing for "At risk" is after school programs, and a lot, of counseling.

[Eli]

when people mention "at risk" they're usually talking about me...I straighten up my act a little, get removed from that list, and then go back to what i was doin to begin with.

ME= AT RISK = ME

best equation i ever came up with