Adolescents at Risk

Seven million youngsters--one in four adolescents--have onlylimited potential for becoming productive adults becausethey are at high risk for encountering serious problems athome in school or in their communities. This is one ofthe disturbing findings in this unique overview of what isknown about young people aged 10 to 17 growing up in theUnited States today. The book explores four problem areasthat are the subject of a great deal of public interest andsocial concern: delinquency substance abuse teenpregnancy and school failure. In examining these problemareas Dryfoos has three objectives: to present a morecogent picture of adolescents who are at risk of problembehaviors and where they fit in society; to synthesize theexperience of programs that have been successful in changingvarious aspects of these behaviors; and to proposestrategies for using this knowledge base to implement moreeffective approaches to helping youngsters succeed. Amongthe key concepts emerging from this study are the importance of intense individual attention social skills trainingexposure to the world of work and packaging components inbroad community-wide interventions. Schools are recognizedas the focal institution in prevention not only in regardto helping children achieve academically but in givingyoung people access to social support and health programs. The author also proposes comprehensive youth developmentinitiatives at the local state and national level based onprograms shown to be effective in real practice. Thislandmark state-of-the-art study represents an indispensableresource for anyone interested in the welfare and currentproblems of youth including psychologists sociologistsschool administrators state and federal officialspolicymakers and concerned parents.