Joint Committee: Education and Childhood Development/Health and Environmental Protection
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago and other communities across the nation have been scarred by violence and the loss of young and innocent lives; and
WHEREAS, each year more than 5,000 youths between the ages of 15 and 24 die because of violence, making violence the second leading cause of death among this age group; and
WHEREAS, that disturbing statistic does not take into account the younger victims, some intended and some unintended, of violence; and
WHEREAS, according to news reports, many instances of violence against or by young people arise out of squabbles and disagreements that may appear petty or childish to outsiders, but carry great importance for those involved in the disputes; and
WHEREAS, the use by young people of social media, across various platforms, seems to inflate and accelerate these interpersonal conflicts; and
WHEREAS, there is a growing perception, whether accurate or not, that urban youth see violence as the only possible response to disagreement or conflict, and that they act without regard to consequence and without regard to the permanent effects of some of their actions; and
WHEREAS, some adults seem incapable of understanding or dealing with the problems and conflicts affecting youth under their care, while other adults seem to encourage extreme responses; and
WHEREAS, more than enough families have been broken, and more than enough lives shattered, for our society to come to the realization that new approaches must be devised to divert young people away from violence; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recognizes violence as a public health issue and is working to develop educational programs to mitigate and reduce this public health crisis; and
WHEREAS, educational programs have been devised - and have proven effective - to increase the safety of young people by educating them about the ...
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