NCJ Number
188155
Date Published
July 2001
Length
141 pages
Annotation
This fifth report in an annual series, mandated by Federal Executive Order No. 13045, presents recent official statistics that reflect both the promises and the difficulties confronting the Nation's youth.
Abstract
Part I, "Population and Family Characteristics," presents data that illustrate the changes that have occurred during the past few decades in eight measures of the context of children's lives. These background measures provide a foundation for understanding the key indicators and the child population. Basic information is presented about children in the United States, along with the social and demographic changes that have occurred in the child population. These data show the number of children in the United States, the proportion of the population under age 18, the racial and ethnic diversity of U.S. children, the number that have difficulty speaking English, the types of families in which they live, and the quality of their environment. Part II, "Indicators of Children's Well-Being," contains data on key indicators of how well the Nation is providing economic security, educational opportunity, and a healthy and safe environment for children. This section offers insight into how well children are faring by providing information in four key areas of child well-being: economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education. For each background measure and indicator, three components are presented. First, there are statements about why the measure or indicator is important for understanding the condition of children. Second, there are figures that show important facts about trends or population groups; and third, there are highlights with information on the current status, recent trends, and important differences by population groups noted. Appended tabulated data for each measure and supplementary detail, as well as data source descriptions