A new study issued by the Justice Department today found that more than 60 percent of children surveyed were exposed to violence in the past year, either directly or indirectly. Attorney General Eric Holder discussed the report in Chicago, calling attention to the youth violence problem.
Nearly half of children and adolescents were assaulted at least once, and more than one in ten were injured as a result, the study said.Nearly one-quarter were the victim of a robbery, vandalism or theft, and one in sixteen were victimized sexually. Holder said the video of the Chicago disturbance that led to the killing of a boy, 16, who was not involved in gangs, “was a sad reminder of the harshness and cruelty that remains all too prevalent in many parts of this country. For others, it was a stark wake up call to a reality that can be easy for many to ignore as they go about their day to day lives.” Holder said he traveled to Chicago “to continue a public safety conversation that the Obama Administration started on day one.”