DOJ: 60 percent of kids face violence

CHICAGO, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- More than 60 percent of U.S. children experienced violence during the past year, a Justice Department report released Wednesday indicated.

Attorney General Eric Holder referenced the report during a meeting on teen violence in Chicago, following the beating death of Derrion Albert, a 16-year-old Fenger High honor student killed two weeks ago in a slaying captured on cell phone video.

"Nearly half of children and adolescents were assaulted at least once, and more than one in 10 were injured as a result," Holder said during the meeting with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and city, community and religious leaders. "Nearly one-quarter were the victim of a robbery, vandalism or theft, and one in 16 were victimized sexually.

"Those numbers are astonishing, and they are unacceptable," Holder said.

The Obama administration is committed to implementing strategies that reduce teen violence and is seeking $24 million in next year's budget for community-based crime prevention programs such as CeaseFire and Project Safe Neighborhoods, Holder said.

CeaseFire, which began in Chicago, aims to reduce violence through street-level outreach, often using former gang members. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a national effort to reduce gun violence through partnerships among federal, state and local governments as well as community and faith organizations.

The Justice Department already committed resources to helping keep children and schools safe, the attorney general said, noting the recent announcement that $16 million in grants through the COPS' Secure Our Schools program went to law enforcement agencies and municipalities throughout the country.

He said the concerted approach wouldn't be easy.

"Our approach will need to involve not just law enforcement, but also faith-based organizations, the business community and social services groups," Holder said. "We will need a combination of prevention, intervention and targeted enforcement."