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4 in 10 U.S. Children Born in 2005 Were Out of Wedlock, But The Teen Birthrate Dropped
Births among single mothers rose most dramatically among women in their 20s. The Teen birth rate actually dropped in 2005 to its lowest level on record. The overall rise reflects the growing number of people who are putting off marriage or living together without getting married.
++++++++++ Web Site: National Center for Youth Law
The web site of NCYL contains articles and information of interest to readers. Click here to read the latest issue of Youth Law News. This issue contains an article on the Ayotte Opinion, the recent Supreme Court ruling on parental notification in New Hampshire.
++++++++++ A Report on Teen Sex
This series of articles from The Washington Post examines teen sexuality in the United States and how it differs from teens and sex in Western Europe. While attitudes in the U.S. are different than those in Western European countries, the views of leading researchers and doctors on both sides of the Atlantic are not. They tend to agree that the mixed message America sends to teens about sex endanger our children. Links below: A very thorough treatment of the subject. ++++++++++ National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy - May 3, 2006
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is sponsoring the fifth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 3. The day gives teens the opportunity to focus on the importance of avoiding teen pregnancy and other serious consequences of sex. Interested readers will find the following available online: ++++++++++ Teen Birth Rate
The teen birth rate has continued to decline, according to preliminary data for 2005 from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). However, it is only lower than 2003 by 1%, indicating the rapidity of the decline that started after 1991 has slowed. The 2004 rate was one-third lower than the 1991 peak rate. More information, data, statistics available at the link above from Child Trends. ++++++++++Adolescent Privacy Rights
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that health care providers and others are not required to report all underage sexual activity between consenting youths as sexual abuse. The case arose as the result of Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline’s interpretation of the state’s 1982 mandatory reporting law in which he said doctors, nurses, counselors, teachers and others were required to tell authorities about consensual sex by underage youths. The age of consent in Kansas is 16 Research Shows Sexy Media Influence the Young
Sexually charged music, magazines, TV and movies push youngsters into intercourse at an earlier age according to a study published in the April issue of Pediatrics. In general, the study found that the highest exposure levels lead to more sexual activity. White teens in the group were 2.2 times more likely to have had intercourse at ages 14 to 16 than similar youngsters who had the least exposure. The effect was not pronounced in blacks.
Link to April 2006 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics ++++++++++Little Drop in Abortion Rates if Parents Are Told
The New York Times analyzed six states that introduced parental involvement laws in the last. decade The analysis of states that enacted laws from 1995 to 2005 found no evidence that the laws had a significant impact on the number of minors who got pregnant or, once pregnant, the number who had abortions. A separate analysis considered whether the existence or absence of a law could be used to predict whether abortions when up or down. It could not. ++++++++++ Fostering Hope: Preventing Teen Pregnancy Among Youth in Foster Care
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and ucan (Uhlich Children’s Advantage Network) collaborated to produce this report which combines existing research with new qualitative research on foster care youth, foster parents, and child welfare providers as well as advice from child welfare and teen pregnancy prevention professions. 32 page pdf file ++++++++++
Abstinence-Only Programs for the Young May Withhold Valuable Health Information Such programs may deprive adolescents and young adults of critical sexual health information that could protect them for potentially- life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases, researchers reported in the January issue of Journal of Adolescent Health. While abstinence-only programs may offer some benefit, young people remain misinformed about contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) through sexual activities other than intercourse. ++++++++++Pregnancy Prevention: The Wise Guys Program
Connect for Kids reports on the award-winning male responsibility program for guys ages 11 to 17. The program started up as a response to an acute lack of knowledge among teen males about sexuality, responsibility, and pregnancy prevention. Wise Guys is an abstinence-based program that also includes education about birth control options, including information on how to protect from STDs.
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Sex Between Young Teens and Older Individuals: A Demographic Portrait This ChildTrends Research Brief reports that: Among sexually experienced teens, having sex with someone who is older has been associated with reduced and inconsistent use of contraception, including reduced use of condoms, and a greater risk of teen pregnancy. More than one in four babies born to mothers between the ages of 15 and 17 were fathered by someone who was five or more years older. On average, young teens who have sex with an older individual report a larger number of sexual partners during the high school years and higher levels of drug and alcohol use than do other sexually experienced teens. ++++++++++Parental Involvement in Minors’ Abortions This Guttmacher Institute policy brief provides quick access to individual state laws on parental involvement in minors’ abortions. Some statistics: 34 states require some parental involvement in a minor’s decision to have an abortion. 20 states require parental consent; 2 require both parents to consent. 14 states require parental notification; 1 requires that both parents be notified.
All of the 34 states, except Utah, that require parental involvement have an alternative process for minors seeking an abortion. ++++++++++Maine Turns Down Sex-Ed $$$ The state of Maine has stopped accepting federal funds for an abstinence-based sex-education program, in part because federal guidelines do not allow any of the money to be used to teach so-called “safe sex” practices. Maine is the third state in the country to turn down the federal money. ++++++++++Statutory Rape Known to Law Enforcement At a national level, the incidence of statutory rape is relatively unknown. However, the FBI’s NIBRS System National Incident-based Reporting System) captures a broad range of information reported to participating law enforcement agencies throughout the country which teaches about the victims and offenders in statutory rape incidents. This report characterizes victim and offender attributes and law enforcement responses to incidents of statutory rape. Highlights of the report’s findings: In 2000, there was 1 statutory rape for every 3 forcible rapes involving a juvenile victim reported to law enforcement. Most (95%) statutory rape victims were females. Regardless of victim gender, almost 3 of every 5 victims of statutory rape were age 14 or 15, with relatively equal proportions in each of these ages. Three of every 10 statutory rape offenders were boyfriends or girlfriends and 6 in 10 were acquaintances. An arrest occurred in 42% of statutory rape incidents with the probability of arrest declining as victim age increased.
++++++++++ Teen Abortion Lawsuit
The parents of a 17-year old Minnesota teen who had an abortion without parental notification have brought suit against Planned Parenthood. According to Planned Parenthood, the teen provided documentation that she was legally an adult and that she had previously given birth. ++++++++++ Half of All American Teens Have Had Oral Sex
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that slightly more than half of American teenagers, ages 15 to 19, have engaged in oral sex, with females and males reporting similar levels of experience, according to the more comprehensive national survey of sexual behaviors ever released by the federal government. The number increases to about 70% for 18 and 19 year olds. Click here for a Child Trends Databank study on the subject.
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A Needed Transition: Lessons from Illinois about Teen Parent TANF Rules Under the 1996 welfare reform bill, parents under age 18 must live in an approved arrangement, usually with their parents, and work toward a high school diploma or GED to qualify for assistance. Illinois has structured its TANF program differently to help teen parents access services and supports and the state allows minor parents to receive TANF for three months while they come into compliance with the living arrangement and education rules. This issue brief from CLASP (Center for Law and Social Policy) looks at Illinois’ experience with TANF and minor parents, and the effect of their approach on families and agencies.23 pages. downloadable. ++++++++++ American Academy of Pediatrics Revises Policy on Teen Birth Control The AAP says teenagers need access to birth control and emergency contraception. The organization updates a 1998 policy by omitting the statement that “abstinence counseling is an important role for all pediatricians.” The new policy says that while doctors should encourage adolescents to postpone sexual activity, they also should help ensure that all teens – not just those who are sexually active – [have access to] birth control, including emergency contraception. Additional information - see the July issue of Pediatrics Clinical Report on Adolescent Pregnancy. ++++++++++ |
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