WHEREAS
,
Philadelphia is a vibrant metropolitan area that strives to create a caring environment to raise safe and healthy children; and,
WHEREAS, At least 30 of the 386 people in Philadelphia who have been murdered this year are children under the age of 18; and,
WHEREAS, Departments such as Parks and Rec, the School District of Philadelphia, and Public Health have developed programs targeted at youth and young people for those without the consistency of school; and,
WHEREAS
,
Nationally, for every child in an after-school time program, two more would be interested in joining if the programs had space and funding for them; and
WHEREAS
,
The hours of 2 pm to 6 pm are the prime time of juvenile crime in Pennsylvania according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting data; and
WHEREAS
,
Studies have found that in programs across the country, out-of-school time programs increase day of school attendance, raise graduation rates and reduce criminal participation; and
WHEREAS
,
Identifying areas demanding ongoing improvements in service provision and delivery - can yield more data, evidence and insight, thereby helping to ensure positive comprehensive results for all Philadelphians; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That City Council’s Committee on Children & Youth is authorized to hold hearings examining out-of-school time programs and funding from the 2021 Summer targeted at improving safety and positive life outcomes for Philadelphia’s young people.
End