Toxic Playground: Growing Up In Skid Row
The Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty at the Weingart Center has identified another interesting report.
Skid Row Toxic Playground - Survey Results.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Hundreds of children are growing up in the dangerous, toxic environment of downtown Los Angeles' "skid row." They endure horrible living conditions, with no place to play, no sports, no chance for a good education. They have difficulty getting to school because of limited access to transportation, and once there, are often stigmatized by teachers and administrators. These young people are easy targets for the drug dealers and sexual predators. Yet the police rarely offer protection; instead they are quick to intimidate and cite these children for minor offenses like jaywalking.
The children of "skid row" have been ignored far too long. We must start now - before they succumb to illness, crime, despair and death - to improve their environment and provide them with opportunities for the future. Remarkably, the children themselves are leading the way. In conjunction with the United Coalition East Prevention Project (UCEPP), young people have designed a survey and administered it to their peers. The results are highlighted below, together with background information that provides a context for the challenges these young people confront. Finally, this report sets out practical recommendations for steps public agencies can take to make a qualitative difference in the lives of our children living in "skid row".
