Marin City is an isolated African American community located in mostly affluent Marin County, California. Thirty-six percent of households in Marin City fall below the poverty line. This report provides three case studies from the Marin City Families First (MCFF) program, an intervention that aims to develop a model comprehensive child and family…

While student mobility is not a "cause" of low academic achievement, it is one of the correlates of academic performance that should be regarded as a potentially significant factor in shaping students' academic performance. In this document, the Urban Schools Initiative of the Ohio Department of Education makes several recommendations to…

The chapters in this collection, distributed to conference participants as a springboard for conference discussions, consider sustainable models for school-family-community collaboration, partnerships in education, and other ways to improve learning for urban youth. The contributions are: (1) "The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community"…

The Project Leadership-Service is based on two principles: high school students can be influential, positive role models for elementary students who learn best by example, and exemplary high school students can benefit from experiences which give them the satisfaction of helping others. (ERB)

A ninth-grade English teacher at an urban California high school taught writing through focusing on tolerance. Books by young people who grew up with war, coupled with guaranteed anonymity, inspired and liberated her students to write about real, controversial topics in their journals, gaining them national recognition. Revising, peer editing, and…

Describes the learning activities that supplement the physical work of the San Francisco Conservation Corps, including journal writing, vocabulary development, oral discussion, plays, and bilingual exercises. Discusses the philosophy behind the program's integrated approach to work and learning. (SV)

Discusses a study on how Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) approached intervening with criminal youth to halt or reduce their criminal activities before these activities become entrenched. This approach emphasizes quick case turnaround and harsh sanctions for youths who are serious habitual offenders. (GLR)

Examines the influences of urbanization on the mental health and well-being of children in low-income settings. Summarizes and analyzes some current urban prevention projects. Proposes 11 interventions based on individual, family, and community strengths to promote the mental health and well-being of urban children. Contains over 100 references.…

Describes how Youth for Oakland United is working for positive alternatives to crime and incarceration. It argues for a critical need for safe common spaces for teens and cites preventive measures in cities across America. It documents how research on Oakland recreation centers resulted in a successful citizen ballot initiative for youth…

Camp Joy (Ohio) offers a racially integrated program to disadvantaged inner-city foster children. To attract quality minority staff, the camp recruits through former campers, word of mouth, a leader-in-training program, job and internship fairs, and networking with nearby colleges and social agencies. Staff training and the intrinsic rewards of…

The narrative essays in this collection offer a vision of the race and identity of Native Americans, focusing on American Indians that have grown up in cities and towns. It is a unique collection in that it represents the ways that mixed blood people ("mixbloods") envision Indian race and heritage. It is also unique in that it extends the…

A series of meetings with leaders from six communities explored how efforts to reduce substance abuse may be affecting race relations. Leaders from these communities, located in Los Angeles (California), Mobile (Alabama), Gallup (New Mexico), Kansas City (Missouri), San Francisco (California), and Vallejo (California), spoke about discord between…

This report profiles the issue of youth violence: the history of its appearance in U.S. culture, the recent escalation of gang activity in U.S. communities, and the strategies put forth in smaller cities to meet this challenge. The report notes that there has been an explosion of gang violence in the United States that has been fostered by a…

This project assumes that a youngster's problems with the law rarely occur in isolation. More often, they are part of a constellation of problems--family conflict, school failure, unemployment, emotional difficulties and, in urban ghettos, inadequate housing and health care. The Neighborhood Youth Resources Center (NYRC) of Philadelphia provides a…

This paper discribes a comprehensive juvenile delinquency diversion program serving a poverty community in a large urban center, and attempts to evaluate the problems and effects of the program. The target population was primarily minority-group truants, aged 10-15, who had been in trouble with the authorities. The program included recreational…