U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence convened its second public hearing today in Albuquerque to gather expert and community testimony on the epidemic of children’s exposure to violence. Speakers include Esta Soler, President of Futures Without Violence; Gil Vigil, longtime board member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association; Mato Standing High, Attorney General of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe; other experts in the field; and community members who have personal experience with childhood exposure to violence.
Task force co-chair Robert Listenbee, Jr., Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, noted in his opening remarks that Native American children face high rates of poverty, gang involvement, and suicide.
Esta Soler, President of Futures Without Violence, spoke about the importance of shifting funding in the child protection system, noting that currently $7 billion a year goes to pay for out-of-home placements, while $900 million goes to services for families. Soler observed, “This balance is wrong. We need to change the funding formulas to allow states to use more money to help struggling families and kids before the only option left is foster care.”
The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD), a national nonprofit organization that conducts research related to children and violence, is staffing the task force. NCCD President Alex Busansky said of the testimony heard today, “The challenges that rural and tribal communities face in terms of children exposed to violence are staggering. With this incredible group of witnesses and the work of 13 dedicated task force members, this hearing represents a real step toward changing things for the better.”
The Defending Childhood Task Force is composed of 13 leading experts from diverse fields and perspectives, including practitioners, child and family advocates, academic experts, and licensed clinicians. Joe Torre, founder of the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, and Robert Listenbee, Jr., serve as co-chairs of the Task Force.
The Defending Childhood Task Force will hold two additional hearings this year in Miami and Detroit. Details on future hearings will be available on the Defending Childhood website: www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood.
About the Defending Childhood Initiative and the Task Force
For more information about Attorney General Holder’s Defending Childhood Initiative, the Defending Childhood Task Force, and the upcoming hearings, please visit www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood.
About the National Council on Crime and Delinquency
NCCD promotes just and equitable social systems for individuals, families, and communities through research, public policy, and practice. For more information about NCCD, please visit www.nccd-crc.org.
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