The 5 Worst Cities for Urban Youth
by R. L. Donovan (Scoop Daily)
November 14, 2009
In its commitment to calling attention to the Obama Administration’s continued neglect of urban America, ScoopDaily has compiled a list of the 5 worst cities for urban youth. Particular attention is paid to high-school graduation rates, infant mortality rates, unemployment rates, juvenile justice incarceration, and the amount of jobs created in relation to funds received by the Recovery Act.
5. Cleveland, OH
With a high school graduation rate of 34%, the city of Cleveland has among the lowest graduation rates in the country—this according to the America’s Promise Alliance. In the most recent annual report filed by Cleveland’s Juvenile Division of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, a total of 11,254 “Deliquency and Unruly” cases were filed. African-American youth made up 64% of individual offenders, the highest of any minority group. Moreover, the city’s unemployment rate stands at 8.3%. After typing in Cleveland’s zip code of 44101 at Recovery.gov, over $27,000,000 in Recovery Act funds has been received, with zero jobs created to show for it.
4. Baltimore, MD
At 41%, Baltimore’s high school graduation rate lands it on the list of Cities in Crisis compiled by America’s Promise Alliance. According to the State of Maryland’s recent annual report of Juvenile Services, African-American youth made up more than 43% of those placed in Juvenile Detention Facilities, 47% of Out-Of-Home Placements, and 80% of those placed in Shelter Care Programs, the highest of any other group. Among the Baltimore’s recent data on Maternal and Infant Health, African-American infants had the highest mortality rate (15.5 per 1000 live births) of any group. Currently the city’s unemployment rate stands at 7.6%. Recovery.gov shows that over $113,000,000 in funds have been dispersed for Baltimore’s zip code of 21202; some 202 jobs have been created for this area.
3. Atlanta, GA
At 44%, the City of Atlanta also boasts one of the nation’s lowest graduation rates, landing it in the same pool of Cities in Crisis. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice reports that for Atlanta’s Fulton County, African-American youth made up over 93% of total intake for unique youth served for criminal offenses; over 92% of admissions for criminal offenses; over 92% of releases for criminal offenses committed; over 96% of the average daily population for criminal offenses; and over 95% of child care days served for criminal defenses. This past summer, The Atlanta Department of Police’s Gang Unit has identified some 50 youth gangs in the city, notwithstanding the surrounding suburbs—this according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The city’s unemployment rate stands at 10.5%, more than the nation’s current employment rate of 10.2%. According to Recovery.gov, the Atlanta zip code of 30354 has received over $42,000,000 in funds, but only 30 jobs have been created.
2. Detroit, MI
The motor city presents a dismal high school graduation rate of 38% according to America’s Promise Alliance; it too is struggling with the same educational challenges as Atlanta, Baltimore, and Cleveland. According to the most recent executive summary of juvenile statistics published by the Michigan Department of Human Services, Detroit’s Wayne County is at the top of the list of counties identified for targeted intervention due to a high juvenile crime arrest rate over a period of 5 years, and high prevalence of arrest in the most recent year of documented juvenile justice data. Statewide, African-American youth comprise almost 50% of arrested juveniles. Detroit is also known to be one of the most violent cities, rated as the nation’s murder capital by Forbes. The FBI reports 17,428 instances of violent crime out of a population of 905,783, in their most recent published data on U.S. Crime. Michigan Higher Education Land Policy Consortium reports that Detroit has an infant mortality rate of 15.4 per 1000 live births. The city’s unemployment rate stands at a staggering 17.3%. For Detroit’s zipcode of 48201, more than $20,000,000 in Recovery Act funds has been received, with only 67 jobs having been created.
1. Chicago, IL
With the highest graduation rate of the 5, Chicago still barely manages to graduate more than half of its Urban District students with a high school graduation rate of 55.7%–this according to the special analytic report on high school graduation published by America’s Promise Alliance. According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority’s most recent annual report, almost 300,000 youth live in poverty in Chicago’s Cook County. Over 26,000 crimes again youth have been reported. Over 31,000 youth in Cook County have been arrested for criminal offenses; and of those arrested, 72% were African-American youth, the highest of any other minority group. Chicago’s struggle with youth violence has received national attention over the past year. In the previous academic school year, 36 Chicago-area students have been killed, with the recent death of 16-year old Derrion Albert receiving the most national attention. According to the most recent data on Infant Mortality by the Cook County Public Health, African-Americans have a mortality rate of 14.7 per 1000 births, also the highest of any racial group. Chicago’s unemployment rate stands at 10%. For Chicago’s zipcode of 60603, more than $800,000,000 in Recovery Act funds has been received, with a dismal 19 jobs created.
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Posted by 
I used to think, what if I was Black and knew that all of the social barometers pointed to the fact that my race was the weak link, that my race was the cause and perpetrators of many of this countries ills…I din’t think I’d like it too much, but I’d learn from it and try to change the reoccurring behavior that seems to run in my race…This is not what I see though I see black people making excuses and blaming every body but themselves for their vices, until this race comes to reality and does some housecleaning they will always beat the bottom of everything good and at the top of everything bad.
This is a very narrow minded statement. First I must say in this message I speak only of a few black people. The vast majority of us are just regular people like everyone else, I don’t want to sound racist here. Especially since you aren’t black. The real problem lies in the interpretation of the behaviour by school authorities. If i have a learning disability that causes me to act out at certain times, certain school districts will view that as unruly behavior and that just adds one more case of delinquency to the statistic. Does that make me a thug? No, it doesn’t. When you deny an entire people opportunities or an education, or maybe even subject us to poverty, then what do you expect? That they will be acting right? Nope. That group of people will only get to flip patties at a burger joint because they were denied the opportunity to go further than that. So when you make that little money, then start a family, you have to find a way to eat right? So thats where the crime factor comes in, maybe some of them deal drugs so that they can feed their kid, others are high on crack and their kids (the youth of 2012) will often suffer the consequences. You can’t change shit until you stop being racist against us. Then maybe the few of us acting out can get off the drugs. Instead of punishing those with learning disabilities how about finding a way to accomodate them. Ever thought of that? Didn’t think so.
You write very nice,but the last two paragraph I have a little bit to don’t understand, can you please give me an explain?
Every generation of youth gangs have gotten more progressively sadistic than the previous generation. Gangs today have absolutely no respect for their community as the older gangs of the 80s used to have. Seeing the preteen and early teen violence in Chicago makes me shudder to think that if they are that advanced in the game of ruthlessness at the age of 13 or 14 what would they be capable of at the age of 18. When Chicago law enforcement arrested some of the older gang leaders who at least had some codes the younger gang members were left with the freedom to follow their every evil desires without any control.
Come on now Los Angeles aint on the list
San Bernardino aint on the list
There is no hope if you live in Southern California but to work for the city or be a police man
In Atlanta, Cleveland there at least cheap rent, and a job in McDonalds you cant even get that in LA
I WAS BORN IN MICHIGAN AND ALL THE CRAP THE STATE IS GOING THROUGH IS JENNIFER GRANHOLMS FAULT!!!! AS GOVERNER SHE MADE DRUG DEALERS NON VIOLENT CRIMINALS, LAWS MAKEN OVER ANY NORMAL STREET DEALER LIMIT A MISD NOT A FEL. LETING CROOKS GO CLOSEN PRISONS NO JOBS AND THE GUYS WHO HAD JOBS GOT CAUGHT DRINKN PUT IN JAIL AND THE KIDS GO TO THESE GANGS TO GET MONEY THAT STATE WAS GREAT TILL A WOMEN FROM CANADA LET IT GO!!!!!!!!
HEADS UP on the race WAR provoking film, “MACHETE”.
MEANT TO ENRAGE HISPANICS, THE VIOLENCE AND MIND CONTROL IS INTENSELY DANGEROUS.
LIBERATION THEOLOGY TACTICS………… GOTTA SEE Alex Jones break it down with proof infowars.com
http://www.infowars.com/leaked-machete-script-confirms-race-war-plot/
Do these politically motivated people have to stir up tensions and fire up more racial division or worse? And many cinemas banned the film, “The Passion” about Christ. enough already!
I will NOT return to the U.S. if they allow Nazi like propaganda from Rodrigues and his funding corporations. He should be considered a criminal for insighting riots -if this film is released.
They been cleanin up DC over the years all the headbussers movin to Pg county
Where is DC on the list?
PURO SUR SIDE FLORENCIA 13 NEIGHBORHOOD GANG
(SUR.F13.NHD)
YALL NEED TO PUT KILLA CITY ON THE MAP WE OUT HERE PUTIN IT DOWN SHIT WE PUTIN N WORK BIG TIME YALL NEED TO CHECK IT OUT…KANSAS CITY KS 913
Every generation of youth gangs have gotten more progressively sadistic than the previous generation. Gangs today have absolutely no respect for their community as the older gangs of the 80s used to have. Seeing the preteen and early teen violence in Chicago makes me shudder to think that if they are that advanced in the game of ruthlessness at the age of 13 or 14 what would they be capable of at the age of 18. When Chicago law enforcement arrested some of the older gang leaders who at least had some codes the younger gang members were left with the freedom to follow their every evil desires without any control.
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