Calling the financial and personal costs of children's exposure to violence “astronomical,” Attorney General Eric Holder’s Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence released 56 policy recommendations today to combat this “epidemic.”
The recommendations are based on comments gathered from public hearings held during the last year in Baltimore, Albuquerque, Miami and Detroit.
The report highlights the importance of identifying children who are victims or witnesses of violence — especially polyvictims, who have been exposed to multiple types of violence — and providing services to help them heal.
The task force recommends developing programs to help children access supportive, non-violent relationships, with adults in their communities. In addition, the report calls for the juvenile justice system to screen children for exposure to violence.
The report stresses the potential harm caused by exposure to violence over the course of a person's lifetime.
“The financial burden on other public systems, including child welfare, social services, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and, in particular, education, is staggering when combined with the loss of productivity over children's lifetimes,” the task force said in its report.
Read the full report HERE.