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Council member expresses concerns about youth violence and unemployment
2:11:23
·
87 sec
Council Member Althea V. Stevens raises concerns about the rise in youth violence and its connection to unemployment. She emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that addresses both law enforcement and opportunities for young people.
- Stevens cites unemployment statistics for young people aged 16-24 in New York state
- She argues that the increase in crime rates among young people is a failure of adults
- Stevens calls for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond just law enforcement
Althea V. Stevens
2:11:23
I know in your testimony, it was it was laid out around like since raise the age and gave some statistics around like the increase and everyone knows I'm really concerned about young people and the rise of violence.
2:11:36
Been working with folks around really having a decarceration plan because the numbers have tripled.
2:11:41
But I also wanna make sure that in the same row, we look at some of the other things and other factors other than raise the age because that's not the only factor.
2:11:49
In New York state right now, the unemployment rate for a 16 to 24 years old 24 year olds as of April is 14.2%.
2:11:57
In January and March of twenty twenty five, there were over 620,000 young people in that age group were unemployed, fifty nine thousand more from the previous year.
2:12:07
This was a 13.2% increase, and so I think when we're talking about the raise the age and the factors, we're also not factoring in how we have left young people out of the conversation around jobs and opportunities and all the things and have not given them lot of opportunities, and so I always want to make sure that we're having a balanced conversation about young people because if the crime rates around young people are razen, that is a failure on every adult that's sitting in this room, and so that has to be said.
2:12:35
And so for me, I know your job as commissioner and the police department is to enforce the law and to act a crime, but I I have real concern just even going into the summer and I know we had a conversation.
2:12:48
I am scared for what the summer is gonna look like.