"America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline"

October 12, 2007

Child poverty in the US continues to grow. US child poverty rates exceed those of all other industralized nations. Child poverty is the largest driving force behind the growing incarceration problem across the US. The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) has issued a report "America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline" in order to spotlight an urgent national crisis that is exacerbated by race. Black boys have a one in three chance of going to jail during their lifetime, and Latino boys a one in six chance of the same fate. Tens of thousands of children and teens are sucked into the Pipeline each year. The report includes:

· an overview of the major factors behind the Pipeline

· photographs that show the faces of children in the Pipeline

· case studies describing how the Pipeline affects children

· descriptions of some promising approaches to help keep children out of the Pipeline

· research tables and state-by-state data of key child indicators

· a call for the hard work and persistence needed to build a transforming movement to put the necessary social and economic foundations beneath all children and families.

The full report is available for downloading and/or ordering a hard copy for just $6.50 at: http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=c2pp_report2007

David M. Young, Professor

Community Resource Specialist

Extension Service

Montana State University

e-mail: dyoung@montana.edu

Phone: 406-994-5552

Fax: 406-994-1756