A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR RELEASE          Contact:  David W. Thomas, ED (202) 401-1579    August 11, 1994                Polly Williams, DOJ (202) 307-0703                                    Victor Zonana, HHS (202) 690-6853

FEDERAL AGENCIES FOCUS ON YOUTH VIOLENCE; CONVENE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

To reach these children and to prevent this tragedy from happening to others, the Clinton administration is marshalling the efforts of seven federal departments, which will convene a second national conference, "Solving Youth Violence: Partnerships that Work," from August 15-17.

The three-day forum is sponsored jointly by the Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services, with assistance from the Departments of Labor, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Vice President Gore will be the featured speaker at a luncheon on August 17.

"Violence is corrosive, debilitating and on the rise," U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley said. "A recent survey of students in ten inner-city schools found that 45 percent had been threatened with a gun or shot at while on the way to or from school. A provision in the new Goals 2000 Act and the Safe Schools Act will help assure safe, disciplined, drug-free schools."

"Some of the $20 million in Safe Schools funds may be spent for metal detectors and additional security guards," added Deputy Education Secretary Madeleine Kunin. "But it is just as critical that schools change the climate and teach young people how to resolve conflicts peacefully."

"To defeat crime and violence, America must come together," Attorney General Janet Reno said. "We know that preventing delinquency and violence go hand in hand. There are communities around this country where it's working. It will take all of us working together to get the good news out."

"It's important for us not merely to recognize the seriousness of the problem, but to focus aggressively on solutions," HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala said. "There are real opportunities for preventing violence among our people. We need to share what has worked in communities so far, and we need to work seriously to develop new approaches and new partnerships. Most of all, we need to listen to our young people's ideas and experiences."

The forum will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H Street, N.W., in Washington, D.C., with more than 600 representatives of government, organizations serving youth, media, business and education attending.

The meeting will highlight more than 100 programs that have demonstrated success in addressing youth violence. Participants will use the opportunity to exchange ideas with a focus on what works.

Session topics include: "Comprehensive Community Planning Strategies for Solving Youth Violence;" "Reducing Gun Violence in the Community and the Home;" and "Alternative Development Programs for Adjudicated Youth."

After plenary panels and workshops, participants will meet in small groups designed to promote constructive discussion. A summary report on the forum proceedings will be issued.

Kunin will welcome participants on Monday and Reno will give the keynote address. At 2 p.m. Tuesday, a satellite teleconference will feature cabinet members and representatives of successful violence prevention programs. The meeting will be broadcast on approximately 125 PBS stations across the country and other downlink sites.

Shalala will participate in a youth panel discussion on Wednesday.

Other highlights include presentations by Deborah Prothrow- Smith, assistant dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, and Vincent Lane, chairman of the Chicago Public Housing Authority.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Complete forum agenda and more detailed information are available upon request.