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Juvenile crime in Milwaukee has reached a crisis state. Hardly a day goes past when there is not media coverage on youth as young as 10 or 11 committing delinquent acts and or criminal acts. Recent media coverage included youth engaging in activities from robbery to murder. The February 18, 2014 Journal Sentinel reported that the Milwaukee Public Schools still only has a 60.8 percent graduation rate in 2012.
There are numerous theories on why youth engage in such behaviors ranging from “rational choice” to “social structural” explanations. All of these explanations have merit. One of the most commonly heard rationales is that there is nothing for youth to do.
Whatever the reasons, juvenile crime and lack of sufficient academic preparation to succeed is a social problem that affects the entire Milwaukee area and the nation as a whole. It impacts children, families, the educational system and all communities.
On Saturday, February 22, 2014, the Community Brainstorming Conference will hold a forum on opportunities for youth engagement. The forum will be held at St. Matthew C.M.E. Church located at 2944 N. 9th Street from 8-11 a.m.
The panelists include Shanee Jenkins, Director of the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Urban Campus; Michael Peeples, Program Director for Running Rebels; Jeremy Triblett, Program Director for the Center for Youth Engagement; and Sarah Dollhausen, Executive Director of True School.
