This is an item of general interest. Here in the United States:
Many of our youth are growing up in detention facilities because of family situations, the neighborhoods in which they live, and other circumstances. These incarcerated youths tend to have disproportionate numbers of African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders and other minorities. In addition, after spending their formative years in Juvenile Halls, group homes, boot camps, drug rehab centers, “court schools,” “community schools,” “community day schools,” and other such facilities, many of them “graduate” to adult prisons and jails. In all of these places, minorities and learning disabled youngsters are disproportionately represented. This includes places such as Rikers Island, the various facilities run by the California Youth Authority, and Juvenile Halls.
Many, many of them come from backgrounds of familial abuse and neglect. Many of them are cases of in utero drug exposure.
Perhaps this phenomenon does not get much attention partially because these youths also tend to come from families that are poor, often limited in English language knowledge, and disempowered. Often, the families do not attend IEP meetings. I believe that they seldom comprehend the IEP process and the meaning of a learning disability.
We are in extreme danger of losing a generation, people. I am not exaggerating in the least. These youths also have disproportionate numbers of gang members, so they are quite disconnected from society. If you wish to know more about this, look up a publication called “The Beat Within” on the Internet. You can also read “Do or Die” by Leon Bing or “Makes me wanna holler” by Nathan McCall. Another one is called “Things get hectic” and I do not know the author.
The problem is HUGE.
John