Opinion As youth crime persists, one question looms large (continued)
Opinion | D.C. kids in child welfare, juvenile detention. Where are the fathers? The Washington Post
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I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly
Introduction
I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly, so I repeated the question. “How old are your kids?” “Six,” he said, this time with a grin between sheepish and sly. We were in a group discussion with other inmates and staff at the D.C. Correctional Treatment Facility near the D.C. Jail, so I let the matter drop. When the session ended, we spoke again privately, and that’s when the fog lifted.
He explained that six years earlier, at age 16, he had fathered three children in the District
Background
He explained that six years earlier, at age 16, he had fathered three children in the District. “They were born one month apart,” he said. I told him he belonged in jail. He laughed and agreed he had left behind a mess.
Children in trouble and the city’s besieged child welfare system
Discussion
These were the opening paragraphs of a column I wrote nearly 30 years ago about children in trouble and the city’s besieged child welfare system. I had visited the correctional facility to meet separately with male and female offenders. I learned that many had children, some living with relatives or friends, some in the city’s foster care system. One inmate didn’t seem to know where her children were.
The crisis in the child welfare system
Current Situation
The week of my column, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan placed the city’s child welfare system under general receivership. He said the system was in a crisis so severe that he had no choice: Children were being neglected, abused, abandoned.
The importance of fathers in the child welfare system
Fathers’ Role
I don’t know what became of the 22-year-old inmate with three children. Those kids must now be about 36. Their father told me he never had a father to give him encouragement and support. What of his own children?
The role of fathers in today’s child welfare system
Current Scenario
Last week’s column featured a long list of youths arrested in crimes committed during the first half of April. It asked, “What about the fathers?” The same question can be asked about the fathers of children in today’s child welfare system, children out in the streets — not in jail but also not in school.
A different kind of father: My father
Personal Experience
Let me revisit another old column to tell you about a different kind of father. Mine.
My father’s example of responsible fatherhood
Responsible Fatherhood
By today’s standards of success, my father might have been labeled a failure. He was a high school dropout, worked as a laborer, often two jobs at a time. Later in life, he landed work inside a government office building and retired as a senior clerk.
The importance of being there for your children
Being Present
My father never gave me, my brother or my sister an allowance. There were no such things as family vacations. We were the last family in the neighborhood to get a television. We never owned a car. And my father didn’t have the kind of jobs that let him take time off to attend a kid’s drill competition or football game.
A real man doesn’t leave it to others to take care of his children
Responsibility
I learned from him — and have tried to teach my sons so they will in turn teach my grandsons — that a real man doesn’t leave it to others to take care of his children. A real man respects and cherishes strong women. And while his boxing lessons never improved my win-loss record on the playground, he taught me to never run away from a fight.
The impact of fathers on their children’s lives
Positive Influence
Today we see too many kids in jail. Kids in graves. Kids broken in body and mind. Think of the story of that young inmate 30 years ago. Of my story. How did we get to where we are? Where do we go from here?
Conclusion
To be continued. Again.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
- SDG 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
- SDG 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
- SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
- SDG 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age.
- Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
- Indicator 5.5.1: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local governments.
- Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
- Indicator 16.3.3: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. | Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. | Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life. | Indicator 5.5.1: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local governments. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. | Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | Indicator 16.3.3: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms. |
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Source: washingtonpost.com
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