August 06, 1998

Press Release | Contact: Kathie Eastman (202) 225-6416


WASHINGTON, DC—Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) introduced legislation today to help combat the growing problem of youth violence in America. DeFazio's effort came in response to the needs identified in his community following the shootings at Thurston High School in May. The legislation is designed to prevent youths from turning to violence by providing adequate crisis intervention and support services and to limit opportunities for troubled kids to obtain firearms.

"Politicians talk a lot about helping kids, especially in an election year, but when it comes to putting money on the table,programs that invest in our children continue to go underfunded," DeFazio said. "My package aims to boost funding for prevention and intervention programs with a proven track record for helping at-risk kids and families in crisis."

Following the tragedy at Thurston High School, DeFazio met with community leaders, educators, law enforcement officials, and medical professionals as well as Thurston students and their families to identify how best to address the complicated needs of troubled youth. He also visited juveniles incarcerated at Skipworth Detention Center to find out why they turned to crime and what could have been done to prevent it.

Working as a team, Lane County, Springfield, Eugene and the Springfield School District developed an action plan identifying several grant programs to address specific needs in Lane County. However, to develop new initiatives using these grants or expand existing programs, an increase in overall funding is essential.

"The causes of youth violence are extremely complex and there is no panacea," DeFazio said. "My package doesn't include everything communities may need to address this important issue, but it certainly addresses some of the key concerns our community has identified."

DeFazio's legislation includes:

• A funding increase for early childhood intervention programs such as Head Start.
• A funding increase for juvenile justice delinquency prevention programs including court schools.
• More money for child abuse prevention programs focusing on community-based family preservation and crisis intervention programs.
• Expansion of the National Guard's successful Youth Challenge program for troubled high school dropouts. Of the 483 graduates from the Oregon Guard's program, nearly 400 have either returned to high school to earn a diploma or received their GED certificate. Despite it's success, lack of funding prevents any expansion of Oregon's program.
• Assistance to schools and local police departments to combat juvenile crime including funds for placing police officers in schools.

The package also includes legislation to improve access to mental health treatment. Currently, insurance companies do not fully cover mental health services, making them effectively out of reach for many families because of the high cost. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 58 percent of teenagers in juvenile detention have behavioral, mental or emotional disorders. The National Institutes of Health reports that 20 percent of American children -- about 11 million kids -- have a serious diagnosable mental or behavioral health disorder. However, about two-thirds of children in need of mental health services are not receiving treatment.

DeFazio's legislation also:

• Mandates a 72-hour hold for juveniles caught with a firearm on school grounds.
• Requires background checks for guns purchased at gun shows and swap meets. Background checks are already required for most commercial gun sales.
• Establishes penalties for gun dealers who sell firearms to minors.
• Requires safe storage of firearms.
• Requires manufacturers to provide trigger locks for all purchases of new firearms.

"It's time that politicians deliver on their rhetoric," DeFazio argued. "If we can afford $2 billion B-2 bombers, we can afford to invest $1 billion in our kids."

-30-