The academic and economic benefits of school spending are well-established, but focusing on these outcomes may underestimate the full social benefits of school spending. Recent increases in U.S. child mortality are driven by injuries and raise questions about what types of social investments could reduce child deaths. We use close school district…

This report presents descriptive information gathered from interviews with 945 youth aged 10-17 entering Texas Youth Commission (TYC) facilities in 1989 and focuses on both the criminal careers of the youth and the relationship between delinquency and substance use. Eighty-one percent of TYC youth reported illicit substance use with a median age…

This report arose from a legislative directive that crime on public school campuses be studied. The study describes criminal behavior occurring on public school campuses in Texas. Data collection was limited to selected behaviors happening on school campuses in 50 districts from September through November 1994. Crimes committed by students or…

This study examined patterns of alcohol consumption by students in a rural Texas high school. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with students, teachers, and parents. Discussions were conducted and taped during a planned "Alcohol Awareness Week." Teacher and parent responses were sought to questions directed at their feelings…

For many decades communities have been troubled by the criminal activities of youth gangs. This report looks at almost 30 years of information collected on gang problems in nearly 4,000 communities. The number of localities reporting gang problems increased between the 1970s and the 1990s, representing a tenfold increase in the number of cities…

The national problem resulting from the inability of large numbers of youth to meet educational requirements for military enlistment was described in the 1966 report (see VT 005 531). Part I of this report contains an analysis of the efforts of the National Committee for Children and Youth (NCCY) to help this youthful population in Baltimore,…

This report presents the results of a survey on drug and alcohol use among students in elementary and secondary schools. Schools in 15 counties along the Texas-Mexico border were oversampled so that substance use among students could be looked at in detail. A total of 63,292 students (grades 7-12) and 43,915 students (grades 4-6) were sampled.…

Articles in seven newsletters of the Intercultural Development Research Association's Mental Health Research Project emphasize community mental health, human, and child welfare services to Mexican Americans, particularly in Texas. Topics include social policy formation in child welfare services, utilization of community mental health clinics…

This report offers task force recommendations to provide greater support and understanding for adolescents and young adults. The Commission report and recommendations focus on the issues of teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, juvenile delinquency, dropping out of school, and suicide. Part 1, "Growing Up in Texas," begins with an…

This Kids Count data book examines statewide trends in the well-being of Texas' African American children. The statistical portrait is based on ten general areas of children's well being: (1) low birth weight babies; (2) prenatal care; (3) infant mortality; (4) child deaths; (5) births to single teens; (6) juvenile violent crime arrest rate; (7)…

This Kids Count data book examines statewide trends in the well-being of Texas' children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators in ten general areas of children's well being: (1) number of low birthweight babies; (2) rate of prenatal care; (3) infant mortality rates; (4) child death rates; (5) number of births to single teens; (6)…

This Kids Count data book examines statewide trends in the well-being of Texas' children. The statistical portrait is based on 15 indicators of children's well-being: (1) percent low birthweight babies; (2) percent mothers receiving little or no prenatal care; (3) infant mortality rate; (4) child death rate; (5) teen violent death rate; (6)…