The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY
“Make Us Safe: Teens Talk about Violence”
“For a bold and comprehensive approach to the critical issue of teen violence…”When a 12-year-old girl stabbed a 13-year-old girl outside a local middle school reporters and editors sat around the newsroom and said: “What makes kids do that? Have kids changes since we were kids?”The media partners, which included WXXI public television and radio, the ABC affiliate WOKR-TV and WDKX-FM, surveyed more than 1,700 middle-school and high school students. The purpose of the poll was to find out students’ attitudes on various issues, and the public did not find some of their attitudes very palatable.The data shattered stereotypes by documenting startling levels of fear, widespread access to weapons, and the impact of living in a violent culture. Nearly one third said they feared violence would shorten their lives. A significant number said that parents were doing a lousy job of parenting and they wanted more limits.
The media partners did a week-long series chronicling the problem, then focused for a week on solutions to the problems.”Their efforts created a community-wide conversation that generated ideas for involvement and pledges of peace from the young people themselves,” the Batten Advisory Board said.Contact:
Blair Claflin
(formerly Public Affairs Editor at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Legislative Editor
Des Moines Register
715 Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50304
Phone: (515) 284-8052
Fax: (515) 286-2504
E-Mail: Claflinb@news.dmreg.com
Gary Walker
Vice President of News and Public Affairs
WXXI-TV
PO Box 21
Rochester, NY 14601-0021
Phone: (716) 258-0330
Fax: (716) 258-0338
E-Mail: gwalker@wxxi.org