American Youth
Introduction
The youth of today in the United States are facing a reality that was alien to those who grew up five decades earlier. The increasing number of dysfunctional families and abandonment by the male parent is creating financially challenging environments. These deprived environments contribute to indulgence in violence, poor health, and inadequate education. The condition keeps deteriorating every year along with the children’s ability to discern what is right and to find their identity with the nation.
Poverty
The critical issue faced by American youth is poverty. Most of the children in the United States are from a low-income background. To make matters worse, the cycle keeps repeating with the next generation. A child reared in a single parent environment is unable to forge long-term commitments and also ends up rearing a child without the support of a spouse. The years of neglect and isolation make it difficult for these children to stay in relationships. Moreover, the poverty lifestyle influences dropping out of school or involvement in criminal activity.
Risk to mental health
The mental health of these children is at high risk on account of the gross living conditions. This is not the America of the 70s with visuals of single-family houses stacked in rows (Siegel and Welsh, 2011). Only upscale neighborhoods have this type of housing nowadays. The majority of children in the care of a single parent (95% of the time it is the case of a single mother) reside in overcrowded apartment blocks without any basic amenities. The children experience high levels of stress from a very young age. Another drawback in a single-parent household is the lack of attention and care for the child. The only parent is often busy with work or household chores. The emotional stability of children is at risk especially when they do not have a second parent to fall back on. Ideally in a complete family setup, if one parent is focusing on career and providing for the family, the other parent is available for the children. In case the child has difficulty in relating to one parent, there is a choice to relate to the second parent. However, in most American homes, this option is becoming unavailable quite rapidly. In fact, children from separated or divorced parents who still stay in touch have better emotional stability compared to children with a single parent; often a single-mother.
Bullying
Children from low-income groups or minorities also have an increased chance of being bully victims. In all, over twenty percent of all High School children face the problem of bullying and children from minorities are susceptible by over seventy percent compared to children from other backgrounds. The bullying inevitably leads to violence. All the suppressed anger, low self-esteem, and depression culminate into acts of violence. The Columbine School Massacre shooters were victims of bullying at school. This pattern holds good for several of the school shootings in recent years. In fact, bullying in schools is the epicenter of violence. The victims often turn to acts of assault and battery, weapon related violence, gang involvement, suicides, homicides, substance abuse, and depression.
Social standing
The school is the first chance children get with societal relationships. Their social standing among peers is of absolute importance. When children raised close to the poverty line are unable to compete in this social structure effectively, self-esteem takes a severe beating. The chances of bullying and alienation increase substantially when a child suffers from low self-esteem. With no chance of discussing the matter with the parent at home, the children suffer for years in silence. School districts do little to deal with bullying. The young perpetrators often get away with bullying unless the incident results in a violent episode. There is no counseling support for these children since there is no infrastructure to accommodate counsellors in schools currently (Zur, 2015).
Obesity
The increased dependence on fast foods by children from a single parent or otherwise low-income household contributes to obesity. This is a harmful trend that is emerging throughout the nation. The lack of proper nutrients and the substantial increase in fat contribute to several health complications such as diabetes and even heart disease. In addition, children suffering from obesity have reduced learning capacity. This adds to the already low self-esteem due to the result of teasing on account of body structure among peers.
Inequality in education
The States are contributing to the issue by not allocating reasonable funding for School districts that serve low-income neighborhoods. The condition of minorities is worse due to their difficulty in affording quality education. Without a reasonable standard of education, it becomes impossible for the children to complete their basic GEDs. In addition to the poor standard of Government provided education, there is no scope for these children to apply for higher education on account of the cost of tuition fees. Although Federal Student Loans are available for students to avail, it is extremely difficult to find lending institutions that will pay for the entire course. Furthermore, children from single-parent households are unlikely to complete their formal High School education. The risk is sixty times higher in case of boys. Recent studies also indicate connections between the quality of performance in school and the presence of the father in the household (Strauss, 2013).
Community colleges are of little help due to cuts in budget allocations. They have difficulty in obtaining and retaining competent training staff on account of financial constraints. In addition, States are now closing down schools and community colleges since the enrollment numbers have dropped steadily. The constant relocation of school districts creates new logistical and harmful issues for the children. The travel is stressful and might not be safe especially if they have to pass gang territories. Gang recruitment is not the only danger to these children. Gangs often feud over territory and anyone from a different neighborhood is a considerable threat to the local gang. The type of education offered to upscale neighborhoods is relatively of higher quality. These children have a better chance of completing their GEDs and proceeding to college. These upscale school districts create the opportunity for sporting scholarships which are almost nonexistent to children from low-income neighborhoods (American Humane Association, 2015).
Crime and Criminal Justice System
The only option left to these children is crime; especially involvement in gangs and the drug trade. Furthermore, arrested first-time offenders have little help even from the Justice System towards rehabilitation. Although the law is generally lenient towards the first time offenders, there is no other help offered. Instead of offering assistance to weed out the root cause, the US Justice System only looks to rectify the problem at hand. A child guilty of shoplifting is not provided for however; the only help offered is counseling. Despite initial relief, the child is likely to indulge in shoplifting again if the primary needs still exist.
Conclusion
Overall, the American youth are at the crossroads presently. The governments (States and Federal) are indifferent to their living conditions, basic amenities, education, and their future. The rates of violence among teenagers are rapidly increasing. The increases in dating violence, teenage pregnancies, sexual abuse, substance abuse, poverty, obesity, depression, and suicides are astronomical when compared to that of the previous generation. The continuous service from the government towards the affluent classes will create a rift among the future society of this nation. Children already struggle with nationalism due to unfair practices and policies. The American youth of today are the future of this nation tomorrow. The government needs to decide on what kind of future it is setting up the nation for.
References
American Humane Association Staff (2015). State of America’s Children. Retrieved from: http://www.americanhumane.org/children/state-of-americas-children-research-2015.pdf
Siegel, L. J., and Welsh, B. C. (2011). Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law. CENGAGE Learning Custom Publishing. Boston: MA. Pp. 32 – 33.
Strauss, V. (2013). The most important problem facing American children today. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/14/the-most-important-problem-facing-american-children-today/
Zur, O. (2015). Teen Violence, School Shootings, Cyberbullying, Internet Addiction, T.V. and gaming Violence & Teen Suicide: Facts, Ideas, And Actions, Online Publication by Zur Institute. Retrieved from: http://zurinstitute.com/teenviolence.html
