After 26 years in education and after living in four different communities, I have found that many times communities become so overwhelmed with the symptoms of youth problems that they do not have the energy to eradicate the causes of the problems. For example, drug and alcohol abuse, gang-related activity and teen-age sexual promiscuity are nation-wide symptoms of deeper problems such as depression, alienation, low self-esteem and lack of significant adult attention and direction. This is very important to keep in mind because the symptoms will never go away until the root causes of the problems are addressed. What are some of these root causes of youth misbehavior? I do not claim to have all the answers to that question. However, there are a few I would like to point out.

One root cause that many have identified is the unsupervised time experienced by many young people following the school day. Many students who are not in school activities or employed after school go home to empty houses, apartments or trailers. Often young people will be in these unstructured environments for up to three hours each day. This is a time in which much experimentation can take place that leads to very serious consequences. For example, this is a time when drugs may be tried or vandalism planned. It can be a time in which a young girl and boy experiment sexually. The negative possibilities in an adult-free after school setting are almost limitless.

Another frequently mentioned root cause of problems happens when young people are separated from one another because of race and socio-economic status. As youth begin forming cliques or exclusive groups, an “us versus them” mentality can result. This mentality can lead to fighting, vandalism, and other behaviors that stem from alienation. When people begin to separate from each other, they often have no compulsions about hurting others or damaging their property.

A third root cause that is often mentioned is the vacuum in guidance and direction many young people experience. This happens when adults do not play a strong proactive role in their lives through families, community organizations, or churches. We live in a time in which many parents are stretched just trying to make a living for their families. As a result, children may not see their parents until the evening. They may also receive very limited instruction in values and morals. Peer pressure then becomes the main source of influence on decisions that are made. This replaces the influence youth should have from a strong moral code. Destructive behaviors are the symptoms that follow a loss of moral knowledge and belief.

Fortunately there are ways of addressing the root causes mentioned above. Several excellent local organizations are already focusing on this. This would include Youth for Christ, Extension, TeamMates, Big Pals/Little Pals, the YMCA, youth sports programs, scouts and many church youth groups. We all should be very grateful to the many people that make these programs work. I encourage you to support these programs with your time, talents and treasures.

Alleviating the causes of youth problems will not be easy. It will take focused attention and effort by the whole community. The good news is the time necessary to be proactive and eradicate the root causes of youth problems could be more than made up by not having to deal with the symptoms of youth misbehavior. A line popularized in an automotive maintenance commercial applies well here: “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” Like that mechanic, if attention is given to providing after school activities for disaffected youth, helping them join together across racial and socio-economic lines, and providing them needed adult direction and support, the terrible symptoms our nation battles will be reduced. The only question really is, “Where do we want to expend our dollars and efforts? On addressing the causes of youth problems or dealing with the messes that are made by them when we don’t.”

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