CARING COUNCIL LOOKS FOR WAYS TO HELP YOUTHS

Cape Girardeau County has a problem: Juvenile crime is on the rise -- up 23.5 percent since 1990. But the county isn't alone. During the past decade, violent crime by juveniles has increased a whopping 204 percent in Missouri. The number of juvenile weapons violations statewide has jumped to 1,275 in 1983 from 358 in 1983. And the number of juveniles referred to state courts on homicide charges has ballooned 850 percent during the same time period.

This dramatic statewide increase in juvenile crime is fueling a tough package of proposed laws in the Missouri General Assembly targeting juveniles. But the legislature alone isn't likely to stem the tide of juvenile crime. Communities must retain some measure of control over wayward teen-agers.

In Cape Girardeau County, the Community Caring Council is helping agencies work together to help troubled children. The council brings together more than 150 members representing more than 60 agencies and organizations. The council also works to deal with the problems of the family and the child as opposed to just the child alone.

Jim Davis, who directs the Cape Girardot Juvenile Detention Center, says cooperation with other agencies can work wonders. He observes that stronger deterrents aren't always the answer, because many young teens don't consider the consequences of their actions. Most of these young offenders say their mistake was getting caught.

While juvenile crime has continued to rise, the council has seen some rather marked improvement in the areas of child abuse, out-of-home placement for children and percentage of births to single teen-agers. Marked improvement in all three categories came in just one year, according to the recent Kids Count in Missouri survey.

The council, founded in 1989 by Rep. Mary Kasten, has launched a number of successful programs, including an interagency mentoring program for troubled children.

The General Assembly will attack the issue of juvenile crime through legislation. But more dollars and tougher penalties aren't enough. Slowly but surely, cooperative agencies like the Community Caring Council can still make a difference at the local level.