POWER Program

External Assets

• Support
• Empowerment
• Boundaries/Expectations
• Constructive Use of Time

Internal Assets

• Commitment to Learning
• Positive Values
• Social Competencies
• Positive Identity

Regionally and Locally

Nationally

Of the 10 states with the highest rates of current illicit drug use in the population age of 12 and older, six are in the Western region.

In the city of Salem, of all the crime committed by juveniles, the following are committed between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

• 60% of all theft
• 89% of all assaults
• 64% of all trespassing

50% of all Salem-Keizer middle school students live in households with an annual income low enough to qualify them for free or reduced-price meals.

In 2000, 13% of Salem-Keizer 8^th graders had been invited to join a gang while at school.

In Oregon, the public spends over $50,000 per year on state programs for each youth requiring close custody juvenile corrections.  In 2000 alone, over $3.4 million of public funds went to provide juvenile correction services for just 84 youth in Marion County.

Five to seven million American children are left alone each day after school.

Children have four times' greater risk of being a victim of violent crime (murder, violent sex offenses, robbery and assault) between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

In the hours after the school bell rings (3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), juvenile crime doubles.

The percent of youth reporting that it was "fairly" or "very easy" to obtain specific drugs were:

• 55% for marijuana
• 25% for cocaine
• 19% for LSD
• 16% for heroin

Students who spend no time in extra curricular activities are:

• 49% more likely to used drugs
• 37% more likely to become teen parents
• 57% more likely to drop out of school