Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

CDF Violence Prevention, 8.8.03

Aug 11, 2003

CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND VIOLENCE PREVENTION LISTSERV
August 8, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE:
--In the News - Companion assault weapons ban reauthorization bill
introduced in the U.S. Senate
--Federal Update - Speak out for children during Congress' August
recess
--In the States - TEXAS: Dallas Morning News adopts policy to close the
newspaper gun sales loophole
--Research & Resources - Recently released publication on youth and
drugs; Report studies postsecondary and employment attainments of
special education students
--Get Involved! - Mark your calendar for the Wednesday in Washington*
Grand Rally on October 15; Join the Movement to Leave No Child Behind?®

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IN THE NEWS

ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE U.S.
SENATE
On July 17, Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ)
introduced the Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act
of
2003 bill (S 1431), the Senate companion to HR 2038 which was
introduced
May 8, 2003 by Representatives Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and John Conyers
(D-MI). The current ban, which was enacted in 1994, is set to expire
on
September 13, 2004 unless Congress and the President act and pass new
legislation. Both President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft have
expressed support for the assault weapons ban, and Ashcroft has
declared
the ban constitutional. In addition to making the assault weapon and
high-capacity magazine ban permanent, the bill will also significantly
strengthen current law. The original law bans certain models of
semiautomatic assault weapons, as well as high-capacity ammunition
magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. However, immediately after
the
law was enacted, the gun industry moved quickly to make slight cosmetic
design changes in their "post-ban" guns to evade the law. These design
characteristics make assault weapons especially attractive to criminals
and distinguish them from true hunting or sporting firearms. S 1431
and
HR 2038 would close the loopholes that permit gun makers to undermine
the ban and prohibit such weapons from being sold to the general
public.
To learn more, visit the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence's website at
www.csgv.org.

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FEDERAL UPDATE

CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AT HOME IN AUGUST
The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have recessed through
Labor Day. Just before breaking for August recess on July 23 the U.S.
House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2004 Commerce, Justice,
State, Judiciary Appropriations bill. Most members of Congress will be
home during August holding town hall meetings and attending local
events. Since the Senate is expected to vote on this legislation when
it returns to Washington in September, the August recess is an
important
time to speak out for children. August offers a great opportunity for
you to meet with your Senators at home to urge their support for
increased funding for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG)
and
Local Delinquency Prevention Programs (Title V) funded in the
Appropriations bill. We also encourage you to send emails to your
Senators by visiting http://capwiz.com/cdf.

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IN THE STATES

TEXAS
On July 6, the Dallas Morning News announced that the newspaper will no
longer publish classified ads for handguns from unlicensed dealers.
The
Gun Control Act of 1968 requires anyone in the business of selling guns
to have a Federal Firearms License (FFL), to keep a record of their
sales and to perform Brady background checks on potential customers to
screen against sales to prohibited purchasers. However, as the law
currently stands, unlicensed sellers who are not "in the business" of
selling guns are allowed to sell firearms through classified ads in
newspapers but are not required to maintain the same records or perform
background checks on buyers as are FFL dealers. The sale of guns by
unlicensed sellers through newspaper advertisements allows felons,
domestic abusers, mentally ill persons, and children to purchase
firearms without undergoing a criminal background check. In addition
to
no longer advertising sales by unlicensed dealers, the newspapers will
also discontinue advertisements for other assault and fully automatic
weapons, silencers and explosive materials. This action by the Dallas
Morning News comes two months after the Houston Chronicle adopted a
similar advertising policy. To learn more about the Dallas Morning
News
and closing the newspaper loophole, visit the National Campaign to
Close
the Newspaper Loophole at www.gunloophole.com.

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RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

PUBLICATION ON JUVENILES AND DRUGS RECENTLY RELEASED
The Office of National Drug Control Policy recently released "Juveniles
and Drugs," an eight-page fact sheet summarizing current information on
juveniles and illicit drugs. The use of drugs by youth can have
harmful
effects on their health, behavior, and development. In addition to
harming users, juvenile drug use affects families, friends, schools,
and
society as a whole. The fact sheet covers such topics as estimates on
the prevalence of drug use, drug use in school, consequences of use,
juveniles and drug-related crime, and drug treatment programs. The
fact
sheet also asserts that the establishment and enhancement of prevention
and treatment programs are essential to the reduction of youth drug
use.
"Juveniles and Drugs" is available online at
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/juvenile/196879.pdf

REPORT STUDIES POST SECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ACHIEVEMENT OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Research historically has shown that youth with disabilities-especially
those with disabilities such as emotional disturbances-are less likely
to transition to postsecondary education and employment once they leave
high school. In response to this concern, the U.S. General Accounting
Office, conducted a study entitled, "Special Education: Federal Actions
Can Assist States in Improving Postsecondary Outcomes for Youth." The
report examines students who are served under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and states' success at assisting
special education students reach their postsecondary goals of
employment
or education. Seventy percent of special education students were found
to complete high school, with youth with emotional disturbances having
the lowest graduation rate at 45 percent and youth with hearing and
visual impairments having the highest completion rate at 83 percent.
The study found that despite concerns that states' increasing use of
exit examinations would result in more IDEA youth dropping out of high
school, completion patterns have remained steady, possibly because
states have offered alternative routes to completion for youth with
disabilities. The report also found that IDEA students were much more
likely to enter employment than postsecondary education or training
programs and that there are a variety of problems that impede youths'
transition to postsecondary education and employment. To read the
complete report, log on to www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-773.

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GET INVOLVED

OCTOBER 15 ATTEND WEDNESDAY IN WASHINGTON GRAND RALLY TO LEAVE NO CHILD
BEHIND?®
On October 15, grandparents and other relative caregivers from across
the country will gather in the Nation's Capitol to bring attention to
the needs of children and kinship care families. This historic event
is
sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF), American Association of
Retired Persons (AARP), Child Welfare League of America, Generations
United, and the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's
Rights. The event will feature inspirational kinship caregivers,
Marian
Wright Edelman, Founder and President of CDF, William Novelli,
President
of AARP, members of Congress, and many others, in addition to Hill
visits by GrandRally participants. Grandparents and relatives
caregivers, kinship care advocates, and all those who support them are
welcome at the GrandRally. To learn more about and to register for the
event, e-mail grandrally@childrensdefense.org or call (202) 662-3656.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND?®

ENCOURAGE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO CO-SPONSOR/ENDORSE THE ACT TO LEAVE
NO CHILD BEHIND
On February 12, 2003, Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and
Senator George Miller (D-CA) re-introduced the Act to Leave No Child
Behind (S. 448/H.R. 936) in the U.S. Congress. This important
comprehensive federal legislation sets forth a major children's agenda
that combines the best ideas and proposals to improve the lives of
children. Among the policy objectives in the 12 titles of the Act is
legislation to: encourage positive youth development activities for all
young people; advance efforts to reduce juvenile delinquency and
support
youth in the juvenile justice system; and promote responsible gun
legislation to prevent youths' access to firearms.

Since its introduction in this session of Congress, 9 Senators and 64
Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of the Act to Leave No
Child Behind. Please visit the CDF Action Council site at
www.cdfactioncouncil.org/cosponsors.htm to encourage your Senators and
Representative to co-sponsor this very important legislation for
children. If they are not listed as co-sponsors, please send them a
message asking them to sign on! An adaptable message is available for
you to send at
http://capwiz.com/cdf/issues/alert/?alertid=34813&type=CO.

Additionally, it is important for state legislators to support this
legislation as a way to underscore the support for children in the
states. We need advocates to e-mail their state legislators and
encourage them to sponsor the re-introduced Act Leave No Child Behind
so
they can play a role in moving this piece of federal legislation.
Visit
http://capwiz.com/cdf/issues/alert/?alertid=88158&type=ST to send a
message to your own state legislators!