Civil Rights : Children |
Rights of children both to fair treatment by society and protection from harm; juvenile justice system, foster care facilities, etc.
12/27/08 U.S. states slashing funding for juvenile justice programs based on rehabilitation, forcing more children into juvenile detention facilities.
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Analysis & views: 10/1/08 Arrest of 121 in child pornography sweep in Spanish highlights an international network of pedaphiles. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7645626.stm 9/19/08 Palestine: Hell of a place to be a kid these days:. New UN report examines the huge toll on Palestinian children of the long conflict with the Israeli government, a toll which includes numerous deaths, injuries and arrests following incidents at separation walls and checkpoints, many for such juvenile "crimes" as throwing stones. Incarcerations under draconian conditions are also frequent for children and they make up a major part of the massive Gazan refugee population. http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43915 7/7/08 National Children's Bureau, which administers funding for child care programs in the U.K., issues "guidance" admonishing care-givers to beware of "racist" attitudes of children which could be as broadly interpreted as a toddler saying "yuk" to a foreign food. 6/18/08 "Children of the Neighborhood" program launched by Chavez in Venezuela, a "social program" designed to help "vulnerable" children. http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3563 5/27/08 "Often it will be between 8 and 10 men who will share 2 to 3 girls. When I suggest an older girl, they say they want a young girl." : A Miami taxi-cab driver talking about German tourists? No, the statement to Save the Children UK of a 14-year-old boy employed at an Ivory Coast "UN peacekeeping" mission, describing a common practice of child sexual abuse among "aidworkers" in that country as well as in such other world "hotspots" as Liberia, Haiti and the Congo. Save the Children notes disparity in frequency of such behavior in its "focus groups" discussion with native people and statistics of same in UN reports, saying much of the abuse is unreported by its victims. 4/17/08 Tourists and temporary foreign workers are being blamed for much of the patronage for the child prostitution being fought by the government of Uruguay. http://www.latinamericapress.org/Article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5557 4/13/08 Youth culture centre in Copenhagen set to open this week, despite months of controversy with protests from youth who had been occupying an abandoned building and now local residents who don't want the centre located there. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/106675.html 3/22/08 Home "spoiled" children in UK are said to be taking their tantrums and manipulative behaviors to school with them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7308909.stm 3/16/08 British child advocate is glad she didn't have to do a striptease in Parliament to obtain large grant for her Kids Company program to help troubled UK children. http://www.newstatesman.com/200803130009 3/13/08 Uruguay and Venezuela are leading a movement in Latin America in legislation which puts controls on the right of parents to exercise violence against their children. http://www.latinamericapress.org/Article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5511 3/4/08 Bolivia's children advocates are using programs of street soccer to promote non-violence and dialogue among the young http://www.latinamericapress.org/Article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5499 1/11/08 Report in Canada said a "culture of fear" (for their own careers) led teachers to fail to report school situations that endanger children. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080111.wschools11/BNStory/National/home 12/19/07 UK watchdog agency claims that "mismanagement" in neo-natal units of National Health Service results in scores of deaths of pre-maturely born babies. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/dec/19/nhs.health 12/19/07 UNICEF calls for "safe zones" for children and families in war-torn Somalia. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7151409.stm 12/11/07 Australians upset over judge's ruling that 9 Aboriginal males who admitted having sex with 10 year old girl were released from custody, with the judge noting that the sexual activity was with the "consent" of the child. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7137815.stm 11/16/07 Early childhood educator in Oslo, Norway advocates encouraging kindergarten children in the free expression of their sexuality, including masturbation and exploring one another's bodies. http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2050710.ece 11/15/07 In war-torn Africa, many children are abandoned and treated like withces. U.N. report notes "massive" numbers of children in Angola and Congo are victims of native beliefs that misfortunes are the result of the enslavement of children by adult witches. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/world/africa/15witches.html?th&emc=th 11/9/07 Gender separation of children in Danish kindergartens is said to benefit the development of both boys and girls. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/104334.html 8/2/07 Canadian pedophile expatriate in Amsterdam maintains website at which he suggests that a children's festival in Montreal is a great place to "ogle little girls." 7/13/07 Common practice of forced marriage of children in Bangladesh is disrupted in one case as school mates of a 13-year-old girl refuse to allow the wedding to go on. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6897188.stm 6/24/07 Australian federal police moving into Northern Territory to begin a crackdown on child abuse in aborigines communities. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21959222-5007133,00.html 6/14/07 Some U.K. doctors want family with obese children to be reported to social services as cases of suspected "child neglect." http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2102832,00.html 6/4/07 As number of foreign adoptions of Ethiopian children grows rapidly, social service agencies are indicating stress in being able to handle an increased case load. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/us/04adopt.html?th&emc=th 6/3/07 Can the acts of a child of 15 result in war crimes prosecution? A pending case before the Guantanamo tribunal may help answer this question. One jurist argues that children must be treated as the victims and not the perpetrators of war crimes, with "adult influences" perhaps the only actionable behaviors. (Who gave the kid the gun?) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/us/03gitmo.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th 5/26/07 Archbishop of Canterbury promises full investigation of allegations that Church covered up allegations of clerical abuse of children. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/25/nchurch125.xml 5/17/07 Generation gap narrows a bit on British entertainment scene as "all-age" concert events are organized, and as parents are required to accompany over-14s at teenie band concerts. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;jsessionid=?xml=/arts/2007/05/17/bmkids117.xml 5/3/07 6000 text messages but no sex: British court clears teacher of charges of sex with 16-year-old boy, whose claim the teacher called a matter of "boastful fantasy." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=?xml=/news/2007/05/03/nteacher03.xml 4/11/07 Dealing with difficult school children in U.K.: government says give them praise, prizes and special privileges. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionidl=/news/2007/04/11/nschool11.xml 2/26/07 Operators of a call line for children with mental problems describe an "alarming rise" in the incidence of these kinds of problems for children in Britain. http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,2021643,00.html 2/14/07 United States and Britain are failing their children: The conclusion of a new UNICEF report comparing child welfare in 21 industrialized nations. U.S. ranks 20th, U.K. 21st. In the case of U.K., report blames lack of "investment" in children and the "dog eat dog" character of the society. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6359363.stm 2/12/07 City council of Copenhagen votes to tear down a building occupied by a "youth collective" who are squatters on a property owned by a Christian group; protests from the residents are expected. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/100359.html 2/4/07 UK Minister of Defence admits to having sent "child soldiers" for deployment in Iraq, in violation of a UN protocol. http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=180532007 11/30/06 20,000 homeless children appear in Kinshasa, the capitol of the Congo, and 70% of these have been accused of witchcraft. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1130/p12s01-woaf.html 11/13/06 Life of the pepenadores: Honduran children who live by scrounging from dumps, part of the Miami Herald's Children of the Americas series. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15998490.htm
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Websites Urban Institute: Domestic Violence: (abstracts of published research articles and papers): http://www.urban.org/justice/violence.cfm Juvenile Justice System Online: http://www.juvenilejustice.com/ Juvenile Justice: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/juvjusp.htm National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: http://www.missingkids.com/ National Children's Advocacy Center: http://www.nationalcac.org/ http://www.nca-online.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=4028
Analysis & views: 12/27/08 U.S. states slashing funding for juvenile justice programs based on rehabilitation, forcing more children into juvenile detention facilities. 12/12/08 University of Utah has developed a disabling device for car ignitions which will block youth (and anyone else) from using a cell phone while driving. http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11198256 11/9/08 Missouri law requires doctors to give prospective parents with impending birth of downs symdrome children as determined by DNA to give them information about adoptive prospects their children. Supported by disability advocates, the law is criticized by pro-choice advocates who see it as discouraging abortion decisions; 10/1/08 Nebraska is debating the continuation of its "safe haven" program, the only one in the nation, that allows "wits' end" parents to leave their children at hospitals without explanation for them to receive care the parents cannot provide. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-30-left-kids_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip 9/20/08 "Diaper free" babies: mothers in Charlotte NC being trained to start potty training their babies at 5 days old. http://www.newsobserver.com/1565/story/1225425.html 8/19/08 American kids may have less fun during this year's fall carnival season. High fuel costs are forcing carnival companies that typically travel to state and county fairs to cut back their tour itineraries, reduce the number of rides they offer and increase their prices on the ones they do offer. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-08-18-carnivals_N.htm 7/19/08 With a sharp decline of employment of teenagers in summer jobs, U.S. mayors express concern about a summer "spike of violence" in their cities. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0719/p03s01-usec.html 6/27/08 Sexual abuse payments are requiring Boston archdiocese to move headquarters from Boston into more modest quarters in Braintree. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/26/leaving_little_rome_for_braintree/ 5/27/08 U.S. child welfare groups are urging change in laws on trans-racial adoptions that mandate "color blind" process of adoptions from foster care 5/23/08 A Texas court orders release of children taken from a raid at the Yearning for Zion ranch where they were believed to be in danger of child abuse and were scattered in various institutions and foster care facilities. With the court order, the state literally does not know what to do with the children, specifically whether they are required to return them to their mothers. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/us/23raid.html?th&emc=th 4/25/08 Texas authorities have now separated most of the young children and their mothers who were removed from the ranch of a polygamist group. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5729797.html 4/22/08 Pope Benedict: Did the German rottweiler become the American golden retriever?: Robert Weitzel sees this attempted transformation as a P.R. effort of the Vatican for the Pope's visit to the U.S., a trip featuring his profuse "apology" for involvement of priests in child sexual abuse. Weitzel notes that many victims were demanding a reform in the system of supervision of priests rather than an apology, and he notes the subliminal message in the Pope's call to American Catholics to love and support their priests, which he interprets as an injunction to “Lay off! There aren’t enough priests to go around as it is.” http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/pope-benedict-solves-mystery-of-pedophile-priests-sort-of/ 4/20/08 Yearning for justice in Texas. State of Texas has taken into custody 416 children allegedly at risk of child abuse at a religious compound at the Yearning for Zion ranch. An AlterNet writer gives essentially the "side" of law enforcement on the issue, quoting a legal expert to the effect that "there is no religious defense to child abuse." http://www.alternet.org/rights/82663/ 4/17/08 Members of Yearning for Zion polygamist sect in Texas give reporters a tour of their compound to display the "normal" lives being led there. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5707634.html 4/7/08 "Even in fast food, there are manners " says a descendant of Emily Post, whose Institute is conducting across the country table manners instruction for children as young as 4. Proponents say it's more than "don't lick the ketchup off your fingers" instruction and promotes a lost art of social conversation while dining. Critics wonder whether it is yet another practice to program children's activities and deprive them of unsupervised play time. (Link includes video of a "training" session which contrasts "proper" eating behavior with that of cavemen---apologies to Geico). http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/04/07/for_younger_set_a_call_to_charms/ 3/18/08 Adoption malpractice case in Minnesota illustrates the difficulties faced by couples who try to adopt children by making private arrangements with their natural mothers. 3/9/08 Texting in the back seat: Something new for their parents to worry about with their kids. Father is driving teen daughter and friends to a play, notices daughter text-messaging in back seat, tells her it's rude to do that with her friends present, she says "but Dad, we're texting each other cause we don't want you to hear what we're saying!" New technologies are presenting new problems for parent-child relations as children are able to draw a network of ever-present peers around them that limit their interactions with parents. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/business/09cell.html?th&emc=th 1/28/08 Big Pharma is treating American kids for "ODD" behavior: ODD stands for "oppositional defiant disorder" and is the new-fashioned medical diagnosis that justifies prescriptions for "calming" drugs like Ritalin and even some psychotropics http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/75081/ 1/22/08 U.S.A. isa #1 (or close to it) in another dubious category. With over 2,000 cases each year of children sentenced to life imprisonment from which they cannot be released until they die, the U.S. ranks far ahead of most countries and joins Somalia as the only two countries refusing to accept a UN ban on such practices. There is a huge difference in the practice from state to state and even from court to court within the country with variations in "political culture" demand for harsh sentencing. The six states of California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Florida and Missouri account for about 1,500 cases per year http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/20/INE8UGEGE.DTL 12/7/07 Teen rap artist's new CD reflects the harsh realities of life in her upbringing in Buffalo's Lower West Side (where the editor of the Sun State Activist once lived). http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/222670.html 11/19/07 Expensive driver training course as requisite to getting a drivers' license opens a gap between the haves and the have-nots among Seattle teenagers. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/340230_driversed19.html 11/5/07 Are minority children without parents better cared for by minority foster parents? Officials in New York City thought so and, beginning in the early 1990s, embarked on an ambitious project to reform child welfare agencies by placing them in the hands of black and Latino staff, and by encouraging placement of children among minority foster parents. With the public collapse of one of the largest of these, St. Christopher's, amid many charges of corruption and bureaucratic incompetence, the program has come under increasing criticism. A New York Times investigative report details the "troubles" as well as the "opportunities" associated with the New York City experiment. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/nyregion/05foster.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp 10/7/07 Massachusetts has instituted a system of monitoring prescriptions of psychiatric drugs for children to give early warnings of possible overdose. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/07/mass_tracks_children_on_psychiatric_drugs/ 9/10/07 Philadelphia program aims to guide parents in helping their children deal "cyber-bullying" such as the receipt of text messages with threatening, insulting or embarrassing content. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20070910_Bullies_of_the_online_playground.html 9/6/07 Top Catholic officials in both California and Mexico deny knowledge that a cleric was under suspicion at the time he was transferred to LA and then back to Mexico. Documents uncovered in a lawsuit against the Church indicate otherwise. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/19483.html 7/30/07 Facebook is joining MySpace in being subjected to charges that it monitors inadequately the abuse of the internet facilities by child predators. 7/26/07 HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, former head of a private insurance company, opposes renewal of CHIPS health care program for children, saying the issue is whether medical care is to be provided by public or private agencies. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_6466786 7/9/07 Reprogramming that masquerades as rehabilitation: A graduate of a "tough love" program that involves abusive treatment of juvenile delinquents produces a dramatic film Over the GW, on the program and what it does to the victims of this "love." The Indy film just closed a short run in New York City and may be shown elsewhere. http://www.alternet.org/movies/56241/?page=1 6/24/07 Experts are puzzled at rise of infant mortality rates in western North Carolina. http://www.citizentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770623033 6/9/07 "The kids were going to drink anyway " was a Virginia mother's reasoning for providing beer and wine for her son's 16th birthday party, after the "kids'" car keys were confiscated and they were required to spend the night in her home. A judge disagrees and slaps the mother and her ex-husband with 27-month jail sentences. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060802795.html?referrer=email 6/9/07 Federal appeals court in Philadelphia overturns life-time ban on computer use for a convicted child pornographer, saying the ban unnecessarily deprives him of the means to make a living. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20070609_Court_rejects_ban_on_computer_use.html 6/3/07 Quarry-jumping is a pastime and rite of passage for children in Milton MA that is dangerous and that worries parents. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/03/at_quarrys_edge_they_return_for_the_thrill/ 6/2/07 A Washington mother reflects on the fortress mentality of American suburbs that makes parents fearful to allow their children to play in their own front yards, let along to do the meandering through streets or woods that has been a hallmark of childhood play. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0601/p09s03-coop.html?page=1 6/1/07 Philadelphia's Department of Human Services accused of "significant system failures" that have resulted in the deaths of many children. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20070601_Report_shows_how_DHS_failed.html 5/27/07 TV watching at epidemic proportion among babies; parents and baby-sitters ignore pediatricians warnings as 40% of babies under 3 months watch at least 45 minutes per day; and 90% of 2 year olds watch at least 90 minutes. http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2007/05/27/heavy_tv_viewing_under_2_is_found/ 5/26/07 A shocking story. Parents in New York state are lobbying the legislature to permit shock and other "aversive" treatments of their hard-to-handle children. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0721,tucker,76733,2.html 5/10/07 Your child anorexic? Here's an anti-psychotic for her. Psychiatrists with ties to drug companies marketing anti-psychotics are prescribing these drugs to children without regard to their possible side effects. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/health/10psyche.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin 5/7/07 Baker House, a community center in Dorchester MA, hopes to rehabilitate its reputation and restore its funding by stringent screening rules for employees designed to avoid repetition of alleged assault last year on a teenage girl. 4/27/07 Students' right to privacy versus their right to parental protection. Colleges are struggling with the issue of when or if to inform parents when school counseling uncovers serious health problems of their children. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0427/p01s04-ussc.html 4/29/07 Arrest business is brisk for Utah policeman who impersonates a 12-year-old girl on internet chat rooms. http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660215739,00.html 4/27/07 Students' right to privacy versus their right to parental protection. Colleges are struggling with the issue of when or if to inform parents when school counseling uncovers serious health problems of their children. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0427/p01s04-ussc.html 4/22/07 Sharp rise noted in infant deaths in Mississippi and other southern states: Budget-balancing actions like cuts in Medicaid are helping to fuel this increase, complicated by rising rates of diabetes and obesity, especially among young black mothers. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/health/22infant.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp 4/22/07 U.S. colleges are getting better at identifying emotionally troubled students, but not much better at finding ways to reduce the dangers they pose. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4737071.html 4/17/07 Bribery to children to alter their behaviors is a rising phenomenon, whose use is being debates by child developments experts and parents. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/4720844.html 4/16/07 Program for teenage boys in a Baltimore area high school focussed on "living strong" by exposure to male role models may be emulated in other areas. 3/29/07 Outside consultant firm condemns Alaska's Office of Children's Services as "overwhelmed, dysfunctional, hobbled by vague policies." http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8747914p-8649538c.html 3/26/07 Parents of some autistic children in Maine are fighting the "mainstream" medical view of autism as psychiatrically based and base their efforts to "defeat autism" on the premise that the disease is caused by environmental and dietary contaminations to which their children are exposed. http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=147858&zoneid=500 3/21/07 An outbreak of "unruly" behavior among students using train facilities after school prompts Metro officials to launch a campaign to clean up the kids' language and behavior with devices ranging from PA and leaflet exhortations about "respecting" other children to reporting the offensive behavior to their school principals. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/20/AR2007032001955.html?referrer=email 3/16/07 Maryland is moving toward legislation that would deny drivers' licenses to teenagers with records of school truancy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/15/AR2007031502112.html?referrer=email 3/9/07 Maryland Governor asks for $21 million in new funds to expand the state's "troubled" system of treatment facilities for juvenile offenders. 3/2/07 "Normal" self-absorption of adolescents may have slid over into "full blown narcissim" for Generation Y (Millenial) youngsters, according to a recent controversial report. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0302/p01s01-ussc.html 2/27/07 Teen dating abuse and the cell phone. New study indicates that teens are frequently put on "electronic leashes" by their boyfriends or girlfriends who use the phone for 24/7 surveillance and the making of unwanted requests and demands for sex. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0212/p13s01-lign.html 2/27/07 Arizona man gets 200 year prison sentence for possession of child pornography, a judge allowing "leniency" after the prosecution recommended 340 years. The case, says BBC, highlights the disparity in sentencing practices among U.S. states. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6399471.stm 2/21/07 Legislation pending in Congress targets child sex predators by requiring internet providers to remove sexually explicit material involving children from their websites. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lisex0221,0,232399.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines 2/4/07 Efforts of schools on Long Island NY to combat bullying are a difficult if not a losing cause. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-libull0204,0,1452317.story?coll=ny-li-bigpix 2/4/07 At halftime of a Maine high school basketball game, coach requires players to stand up and check inside their pants for their "manhood," saying this game would reveal which players had the biggest male genitalia. All but one of the boys complies, the coach is fired but defends his action as consistent with a "motivational" tool used in locker rooms throughout the country. http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2845518 1/13/07 Many orphans from Ukraine and other former Soviet countries have been brought to the U.S. with high expectations of both themselves and American families they have visited of being adopted in the U.S. But abuses and bureaucratic hangups have mired the system in a "limbo" which has disappointed many of these expectations. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/us/13orphan.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th 12/29/06 It's getting more dangerous for kids to go to school in Boston, as a 47% rise in the number of weapons (mostly knives) found among students has occurred in the last five years. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/12/29/ 12/27/06 With child care workers in Orange County NC earning less than $20,000 on average, many are unable to provide day care for their own children, which costs $10,000-13,000 per child. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4427679.html 11/26/06 Salt Lake City Juvenile Courts are fighting to deal with child welfare in situations of meth addictions that are perpetuated across generational lines. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4724304 11/26/06 Agony of the restaveks: South Florida Sun Sentinel begins 4-part series on Caribbean AIDS victims, beginning with a discussion of the travails of Haitian restaveks: children orphaned by their parents' AIDS deaths who are taken in as household workers and treated vritually as slaves. 11/21/06 Michigan's system for the care of abused and neglected children is described as "stressed and flawed." http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/METRO/611210396 10/22/06 Six million American children suffer from diagnosed mental disorders and the medical system has developed few effective treatment options. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/health/22kids.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&th&emc=th 10/7/06 Rosa Brooks of LA Times: (after Republican congressman suggests suspending the page program because Congress cannot ensure their safety) "It's a little hard to trust the Republican-led Congress to keep the whole United States safe when you can't even trust them not to molest your children." http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1006-36.htm 8/18/06 Dealing with sneaky kids: Boston-area school code bars wearing of "hoodies" because they are seen as hiding identity and facilitating truancy and crime. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/08/18/changing_the_dress_code_face_first/ 4/8/06 Obsession in Wisconsin and elsewhere with electronic monitoring of sexual offenders is a "bogeyman" used by politicians to impress voters with their love of children, with little actual child protection resulting: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0408-28.htm 4/6/06 Sting operations of the type that netted the arrest of a Homeland Security official in Maryland have been operating since 2004 in Florida's program to counter "cyber-creep" sexual predators: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-sexsting0606apr06,0,3857372.story?coll=orl-home-headlines 3/31/06 Effects of privatization of child welfare services on quality of those services being examined at conference opening at University of Florida http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060331/LOCAL/203310316/1078 3/21/06 Killing of social worker in Texas highlights the hazards of working on child abuse cases: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/20/national/20social.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin 3/21/06 Pediatricians dispute alleged educational benefits of videos produced for viewing by babies: http://www.zmag.org/content/newstandard.cfm?itemid=2977 2/22/06 Surge in reports of child abuse following a slaying-torture of 7 year old girl: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BATTERED_CHILDREN?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US 2/18/06 ABC's Primetime hypes and misrepresents "teen sex slaves": http://counterpunch.org/nathan02172006.html 2/9/06 Study: girls over-take boys in frequency of smoking and prescription drug abuse: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802228.html?referrer=email
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STATEWIDE
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Analysis & views: 8/31/08 Florida divorce law being reformed in a way that removes contentious issues of "custody" and "visitation" in favor of a requirement that divorcing couples agree on detailed plans for the post-divorce care of their children. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/31/me-terms-change-in-divorce-cases-custody-visitatio/ 7/20/08 Florida child welfare admiminstrators are blaming the legislature's lack of funding for training and salaries for welfare workers as a factor in the background of high-profile cases of child abuse. http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/608746.html 7/6/08 Death of a child in the care of unlicensed day care provider in St. Cloud (near Orlando) highlights the problem of lack of state oversight of child care providers. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-babysitter0608jul06,0,5988072.story 2/4/08 Criminal background screening for employees of Florida Division of Children and Families is being demanded as a former DCF press secretary is arrested on child sexual abuse charges. http://www.jacksonville.com/apnews/stories/020308/D8UIULNO0.shtml 1/30/08 Florida child welfare officials, while fearing budget cuts, hope state will find funding to provide assistance to families with troubled relations with their children, in wake of national report saying such efforts might be more effective than foster care ones. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD05013008.htm 1/23/08 National report gives Florida day care system very low marks for safety in child day care in small homes; state says report is "skewed." http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02012308.htm 1/10/08 Sales of antipsychotic drugs for children soar under a program of medical assistance to the poor that drug companies helped write. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02011008.htm 12/3/07 Violent incidents are marring the serenity and safety of many Florida elementary and middle schools. 11/16/07 Florida school districts are now being required to keep better records of incidents of bullying of children at school. http://www.miamiherald.com/467/story/309823.html 11/3/07 DCF panel recommends changes in Florida's child welfare system that will help prevent children from going missing and increase the quality and supervision of foster care provision. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/nov/03/me-dcf-panel-urges-more-teamwork-training/?news-metro 11/3/07 Popularity of foreign adoptions is helping to make opportunities of children in foster care in Florida and throughout the U.S. in finding adoptive families. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-adopt0307nov03,0,2160169.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout 10/6/07 Something new under the Florida sun: Fashion show for teenage girls featuring "modest" dress - . Bikinis are replaced by Bermuda shorts and other less "revealing" clothing in a movement called Pure Fashion, originated in Atlanta, which aims to convert teen models into role models, after the "fall from grace" of the likes of Hilton, Spears and Lohan http://www.miamiherald.com/tropical_life/story/261173.html 7/30/07 Report indicates that use of anti-psychotic drugs for Florida's children has increased 250% in last seven years. http://gainesville.com/article/20070729/APN/707290688 6/3/07 Recent "dumpings" of babies in Florida have resulted in an enhanced public education effort to acquaint parents with the "safe havens" program of the state. 5/23/07 Is Hollywood corrupting the morals of our children? No, this one is not about Hollywood CA but Hollywood FL, where parents are up in arms about an ad on a Clear Channel billboard near a school which displays one of a series of salacious promotions for a local radio program which is infamous for its "bawdy" content, in this case a simulated name tag with the label "Hello, my name is Hugh Jass." The kids may giggle but the parents aren't amused and demand that Clear Channel take down the sign. http://www.miamiherald.com/884/story/115590.html 4/20/07 Bill introduced in Florida legislature to provide supportive help for youngsters who "age out" of foster care eligibility http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBSJM02Q0F.html 4/18/07 Florida legislature prepares to take actions to restrain the use of the internet by child predators. http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/LOCAL/704180350/-1/news 4/9/07 Palm Beach Post article details the tendency, throughout the state, for gang activity to appear in rural areas, often involving the use of children in drug distribution systems and under the "cover" of immigrant Latino workers in those communities. http://www.miamiherald.com/884/story/67785.html 3/22/07 Daytona Beach mother continues to experience frustration in her attempt to get the Florida legislature to pass a bill for greater control of religiously-run day care centers, following the 2001 death of her 2-year-old daughter left in a sweltering van by Abundant Life workers. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD03LEG032207.htm 3/9/07 South Florida Little Leaguers are adjusting to a new rule for the League aimed to protect aims of young pitchers by limiting number of pitches they can make in a game 12/30/06 State report indicates that 97 children Florida children died of abuse or neglect in 2005. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/12/30/m1a_childdeath_1230.html 11/25/06 Threatened herself with jail by a Pinellas County judge if she didn't find a way to provide hospitalization for mentally ill inmates, Florida director of Department of Children and Families comes up with $5 million in funding to provide 85 additional hospital beds. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16093124.htm 3/25/06 State lawmakers say juvenile boot camps will be replaced by "gentler and kinder" (and better funded) facilities called "Star Academies" http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14182449.htm 3/19/06 Boot camp death may help unlock funding for Florida's impoverished juvenile justice system: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14127672.htm 2/16/06 Growing movement toward closing Florida's juvenile justice boot camps: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/02/16/m1a_bootcamp_0216.html 2/16/06 Boot camps for kids should be given the boot http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13883103.htm
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FLORIDA LOCALITIES
Websites:
Analysis & Views: Tampa: 11/30/08 Providing foster care for teenage children at Christmas time is a special problem in Tampa. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/nov/30/na-help-needed-for-teens-in-foster-care/ Jacksonville: 11/19/08 Violent juvenile crime rate is on the rise in Jacksonville. http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/111908/met_357516124.shtml Leesburg: 11/19/08 Department of Children and Family admits it put too much "focus" on abuse of a baby who died in Leesberg on the actions of the baby's family and not that of its babysitter http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-dcf1908nov19,0,331137.story Port Orange: 11/9/08 "Abilities" Expo in Port Orange FL helps people with disabilities to deal with problems of negotiating wheelchairs and other equipment. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newEAST04110908.htm Orlando: 4/17/08 After shooting of a teenager at Orlando's Wet n Wild water park, Palm Beach County parents wonder how 1600 teenagers on 33 buses got there without school sponsorship. Jacksonville: 3/18/08 Child advocates in northeast Florida suggests that the high frequency of DCF foster homes placements in the areas reflects a "take the kid and run" approach that puts children into foster homes rather than risk injury in their homes for which the agency will be blamed. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031808/met_258882615.shtml Jacksonville: 3/16/08 Anti-crime unit, Jacksonville Journey, says Duvall County needs to recruit adult mentors for 45,000 county children. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031608/met_258270912.shtml Tampa; 2/15/08 Access to publicly-funded parks with sports facilities is being taken over by organized youth groups, with other potential users facing user-fees. http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/15/Hillsborough/Free_play_in_peril_at.shtml Alachua Co.: 12/1/07 Who's taking care of the kids in Alachua County? Investigative report by the Gainesville SUN examines complaint reports against day care centers in the county and finds some of these centers have been the targets of numerous complaints of neglect and abuse of children, and the system seems to suffer from relatively little oversight. (with video interview of one day care operator). http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20071201/NEWS/712010328/1002/NEWS Ocala: 11/23/07 Housing for homeless children and young adults recently coming from foster care are in the works for Ocala. http://www.ocala.com/article/20071123/NEWS/211230342/1001/NEWS01&MaxW=270&MaxH=200 Miami: 11/19/07 State report says Miami area child abuse investigators frequently close investigations prematurely, putting children at risk. http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/313173.html Palm Beach Co.: 11/19/07 Some child welfare advocates in Palm Beach County expressing concern over drop in county's population of children in foster care as many are returned to families that are feared to be abusive. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/11/19/s1a_foster1119.html Jacksonville: 11/15/07 Tony Boselli's plan to run youth programs in city's crime-ridden public parks gets mixed reviews from members of Jacksonville City Council. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/111507/met_217795479.shtml Palm Beach: 10/9/07 Lockdowns after threats of criminal or terrorist attacks are becoming part of the everyday life of the student in Palm Beach County. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/10/09/s1b_sklockdown_1009.html Daytona Beach: 8/27/07 Children in drug rehab programs in Daytona Beach highlight the nationwide upswing in prescription drug abuse among teenagers. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD01082707.htm Bartow: 8/4/07 28-year veteran of Bartow Youth Football League in Polk County is charged with embezzlement from the league. http://www.polkcountydemocrat.com/articles/2007/08/03/news/01aawebster.txt Flagler Beach: 7/17/07 Concerned about rowdy behavior of youth at beaches, Flagler Beach tries to find a way of controlling "loitering" at the beach. Some critics say: "what's beach for if not loitering?" http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newFLAG01071707.htm Edgewater: 7/14/07 Edgewater councilwoman and her husband are charged with child abuse in trying to exorcise a demon from their teenage daughter by putting olive oil on her. The couple claim that the charges are "completely false," a misrepresentation of a "family ritual" that is well known in a local church. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02071407.htm West Palm Beach: 7/10/07 City Commission considers putting teeth (parental) in a new ordinance on a curfew of children in downtown West Palm Beach, providing a fine for parents of curfew violators. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/07/10/m4b_curfew_0710.html Miami: 6/2/07 Three group homes for disabled children in Miami-Dade are shut down on charges of delinquency in health, safety and welfare. http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/126418.html Gainesville: 5/31/07 Gainesville FL woman starts new business to provide emergency baby sitter services. http://www.gvillesun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/LOCAL/705310312/-1/news Pompano Beach: 5/7/07 He can't vote or serve on a jury because he's a convicted felon, but Pompano Beach FL minister has devoted his life to helping local youth escape the "street thug" career that he had himself pursued. Nassau Co.: 5/6/07 Nassau County, one of only two Florida counties to maintain a public facility for managing adoption and foster care for children, is debating the pros and cons of maintaining that system, as opposed to having it contracted to private providers. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/050607/met_167965972.shtml Bronson: 3/18/07 Death of a Bronson FL teenager highlights a nationwide upswing in young people using various inhalants for cheap "highs." http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070318/LOCAL/703180327 Tampa: 2/22/07 City of Tampa and Hillsborough County change their focus on protecting children from sexual predators: from residential restrictions to establishing protection zones in public places where children congregate. http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBGVLRJGYE.html Orlando: 2/16/07 At Disney World, Tigger bounces out of a charge of assaulting a 14 year old boy. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070216/ap_on_re_us/tigger_trouble;_ylt=AlvUbduJLOKe4J6.8QFuBApG2ocA Sanford: 1/13/07 Sanford FL schools are considering a biometrics system of finger-scanning that will allow teachers and perhaps parents to keep track of such matters as what they eat at lunch or what library books they check out. Jacksonville: 1/7/07 Dr. Phil does some time in Duval County jail: to tape an interview with a man involved in a child abuse case. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/010607/met_7192273.shtml Wellington: 1/7/07 NIMBY in Wellington FL: Opposition of local residents to siting a day care center in their neighborhood leads Palm Beach County advisory board to withdraw support from the plan. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/01/06/w1b_daycare_0106.html Jacksonville: 12/22/06 New wrinkle in Jacksonville FL mayor's baby literacy campaign: new borns are given music CDs as well as books to help along their musical literacy. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/122206/met_6914871.shtml Daytona Beach: 11/28/06 President of the Volusia/Flagler Foster-Adoptive Parent Association has been arrested and charged with molesting two children. http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD01112806.htm Miami: 10/7/06 ''If a parent treated their kid the way this county is treating these inmates, the state would come take the kid away,'' says attorney for 2 of 5 mentally ill inmates at Miami-Dade County jail who are suing Department of Family and Children's Services to remove them from the negative environment of the jail. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15698686.htm Daytona Beach: 4/23/06 Volusia and Flagler Counties enact laws restricting residency of sex offenders near facilities for children. Effectiveness of such laws is questioned, especially since the majority of sex abuse cases in these counties involve alleged perpetrators who are "caretakers" of children: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD01042406.htm Pensacola: 3/23/06 Day care center in Pensacola shut down after 3 children left and staff didn't know they were missing: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060323/NEWS01/60323006/1006 Miami: 3/20/06 A 'zero-tolerance' policy against violent crimes has put more Miami-Dade students in handcuffs--for fighting, graffiti and other minor offenses. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14132386.htm Miami: 2/18/06 Governor Bush's plan to privatize Florida's child welfare system leads to resignation of Miami-Dade's DCF head: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13902018.htm Panama City: 2/18/06 Video shows beating of juvenile boot camp inmate, autopsy says died of "natural causes." http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/LOCAL/202180330/1078/news Ft Lauderdale: 2/15/06 Case of baby dropped off at Broward Co. firehouse shows inadequency of Florida Haven Law for newborns: http://www.newtimesbpb.com/Issues/2006-02-09/news/news.html
Panama City: 2/7/06 Abuse charged at Panama City camp for delinquent youth after one boy died in confrontation with guards: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13808508.htm Miami: 1,000 low income Miami-Dade children to lose after-school care: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13776041.htm
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