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Introduction
Copyright 2004
Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy More online information about children at-risk
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This section of the report–complete with charts and graphics–is also available for download in pdf format Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests
Low
birthweight is a predictor of later difficulties for Oklahoma
babies. Most of the infants who die each year were born too small.
Of those who live, one in four will experience serious health
and/or developmental problems. During the most recent three-year period (2000-2002) the proportion of Oklahoma babies born too small slowly and steadily continued to worsen (increasing from 7.3% to 7.8% of all births) when compared to the three year period just two years earlier (1998-2000). Comparable rates also recently worsened in most (57 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties. This trend has continued for years. A higher proportion of Oklahoma babies (7.8% of all births) are born too small today as compared to the population born in the mid-1980’s (6.4% of all births), with such rates also worsening in the majority (61 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties during the same period. Currently, the highest and worst low birthweight rate (11.0% of all county births) is found in Kiowa County; the lowest and best (2.5% of all county births) is in Ellis County during this most recent period. The rate of babies born too small for African Americans (13.5% of all African American births) nearly doubles the rate for White infants (7.2% of all White births). By race, the best low birthweight rate is recorded for American Indian infants (6.5% of all American Indian births). Hispanic mothers, who may be of any race, have an even lower rate of babies born too small (6.0% of all Hispanic births). While early prenatal care is known to improve these rates, over one-third (37.5%) of Oklahoma’s babies were born to mothers who failed to receive the recommended level of prenatal care during the most recent three-year period reported. Ranking near the middle of all the states, Oklahoma’s rate of low birthweight infants is average relative to other parts of the country. Oklahoma was ranked 27th among the fifty states during the most recent year (2001) measured. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Infant death can be caused by disease, poverty, abuse, neglect, injuries or infections. Reflecting the effectiveness of educational, economic, social and health care measures, the infant mortality rate is an indicator of a community’s overall quality of life. Each year almost four hundred babies born in Oklahoma (394 annual average) do not live to see their first birthday. The rate of Oklahoma infants who die in their first year of life improved slightly during the most recent three years (2000-2002) when compared to the three-year period just two years earlier (1998-2000). Oklahoma infant death rates dropped from 8.4 to 7.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, with comparable rates also improving or staying the same in the majority (43 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties. Infant death rates have declined substantially over time. Today, proportionately fewer Oklahoma babies (7.9 per 1,000 live births) die in their first year of life than did in the mid-1980’s (10.5 per 1,000 live births), with such rates also improving or staying the same in the large majority (57 of 77) of Oklahoma counties during the same period. Currently, the highest and worst infant death rate (22.4 per 1,000 live births) is found in Major County; the lowest and best (0.0 per 1,000 live births) is found in five Oklahoma counties (Alfalfa, Beaver, Ellis, Johnston and Noble). Infant death rates have improved for all races since the mid-1980’s. However, the most recent death rate for African American infants (16.4 per 1,000 African American births) remains well over twice as high as the comparable rates for both White and American Indian infants (7.0 per 1,000 White births and 7.0 per 1,000 American Indian births). Ranking in the bottom half of all the states, Oklahoma’s rate of infant death is only fair relative to other parts of the country. Oklahoma’s rank among the fifty states was 29th during the most recent year (2001) in which states were compared. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Young mothers are the most at-risk for being poor parents. They and their children face bleak futures. Each young mother is more likely to be poor, to be a victim of physical violence, to have another child before reaching adulthood, to drop out of school, to have unsteady employment, to be on public assistance at some point in her life, to be less skilled, and to experience marital instability compared to peers who delay childbearing until age twenty or later. For the most recent three year period, an average of about seventy-six hundred (7,606) babies were born to Oklahoma women under the age of twenty. Each year more than five thousand (5,150) of those babies were born to teen mothers ages 18 and 19. Almost twenty-five hundred (2,456) Oklahoma school-age girls (age 17 and under) had babies. One hundred sixteen of those school age girls were between ten and fourteen years of age. The rate of births to Oklahoma young teens continued its modest decline (from 33.0 to 31.1 births per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 17) during the most recent three years (2000-2002) when compared to the three-year period two years earlier (1998-2000). Birth rates for that age group showed some improvement in a large majority of Oklahoma counties (50 of 77) during the same period. The progress made in decreasing the high Oklahoma birth rate to young teens of the mid-1980’s (from 43.9 to 31.1 births per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 17) has been evident at the county level where such rates also improved in nearly every (73 of 77) Oklahoma county during the same period of time. Currently, the highest and worst rate (60.6 births per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 17) is found in Choctaw County; the lowest and best (4.1 births per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 17) is in Woods County. The large majority (67.8%) of Oklahoma’s young teen mothers are White. However, while African American and American Indian teenage girls comprise only about one-fifth (20.1%) of the teenage girl population, they account for almost one-third (31.0%) of the teenage girls giving birth in Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s teen childbearing rate was substantially above other states in 1980, but by the late 1990’s, the gap had narrowed. Even so, ranked at forty-one, Oklahoma remains among the worst ten states in the nation during the most recent year (2001) compared. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Child abuse and neglect is part of a cycle threatening Oklahoma’s future generations. Child abuse and neglect often causes other childhood problems. Half of young victims will suffer delay in their development or serious physical or emotional impairments. Attachment disorders are common. Children with problems are often victims of child abuse and neglect. Low birthweight infants, infants born premature, and children with disabilities, chronic illness or developmental delay are at high risk. The cycle continues. Today’s victims often become tomorrow’s abusers. For the most recent two-year period (Fiscal Year 2002 - Fiscal Year 2003) an annual average of close to sixty-three thousand (62,711) referrals involving possible abuse and/or neglect of one or more children were received by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) and found to warrant further assessment or investigation. Each year, assessments are conducted in about twelve thousand (12,316) situations when the allegations of abuse or neglect were determined to not constitute a serious or immediate threat to a child’s health or safety. At the same time, investigations are conducted in about fifty thousand (50,395) situations when the report contained allegations of serious threats to the alleged child victim’s safety. On average, over thirteen thousand (13,253) of the incidents assessed or investigated each year were found to be actual abuse and/or neglect. During the most recent three-year period (Fiscal Year 2001 - Fiscal Year 2003), the rate of confirmed child abuse and/or neglect in Oklahoma continued to drop when compared to the three-year period just three years earlier (Fiscal Year 1998 - Fiscal Year 2000). Oklahoma abuse and neglect rates moved from 17.8 to 15.0 confirmations per 1,000 children in the community, with comparable rates also improving in the majority (55 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties. While Oklahoma child abuse and/or neglect is declining from the record high rates posted during the late 1990’s, current rates (15.0 confirmations per 1,000 children) remain substantially higher than in the mid-1980’s (9.0 confirmations per 1,000 children). Such rates also worsened in most (66 of 77) Oklahoma counties since the mid-1980’s. Currently, the highest and worst proportion of children confirmed to be victims of child abuse and/or neglect (46.6 per 1,000) is found in Coal County; the lowest and best (0.8 per 1,000) is in Cimarron County. Oklahoma deaths resulting from child abuse and/or neglect are the lowest in the last decade, declining from a record high of forty-eight during FY 2000 to twenty-seven during FY 2003. Among the dead were fourteen girls and thirteen boys of all races. Twelve were less than one year of age; eight were toddlers (ages one through three). The dead also included school age children ranging from kindergartners to children old enough to be in junior high or high school. Deaths resulted from caretaker neglect, caretaker abuse or both. More than two-thirds (69.2%) of confirmations of abuse and/or neglect in Oklahoma involve children who are White. However, while non-White children comprise only about one-fifth (21.8%) of the child population, they account for a greater proportion (27.9%, excluding those whose race is not known) of the confirmed child abuse and/or neglect incidents. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Disturbing trends have emerged in recent decades. The leading causes of death for children and teens are changing from natural causes, such as illness and birth defects, to injury and violence. Children increasingly imitate the violence they observe on television. Poor children are three times more likely to die during their childhood than non-poor children. During the most recent three-year period an average of three hundred seventy-five children and youth from the ages of 1 through 19 died each year. About half (48.9% or 194) of these annual deaths are children from the ages of 1 through 14; the remainder are teenagers (ages 15 through 19). The average annual rate of death among Oklahoma children from the ages of 1 through 14 worsened slightly (from 28.2 to 28.5 per 100,000) during the most recent three-year period (2000-2002) when compared to the three-year period two years earlier (1998-2000). In a small majority of Oklahoma counties (44 of 77) child death rates also worsened during the year. A lower rate (28.5 per 100,000) of children from the ages of 1 through 14 die currently than did in the mid-1980’s (41.5 per 100,000), with such rates also improving some in the large majority (52 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties during the same period. Currently, the highest and worst rate of child death (168.7 per 100,000 children ages 1 through 14 in the county) is found in Harmon County; the lowest and best (0.0 per 100,000) is found in ten Oklahoma counties (Alfalfa, Choctaw, Coal, Cotton, Dewey, Harper, Jefferson, Love, Noble and Okmulgee). Over half (52.3%) of all child and teen deaths during the most recent three year period were accidental. Oklahoma children and teens are less likely to die of diseases (32.8%) or violence (14.9%). One in four (24.4%) of the African American children and teens who do not live to adulthood die violently. A young African American is almost twice as likely to die of violence in Oklahoma than his or her White peer (13.2%). Accidental death rates approach fifty-five percent for both White (53.1%) and American Indian (54.6%) children and teens. Oklahoma’s young people kill themselves at a rate almost twice the national average. An average of twenty-nine young Oklahomans (under the age of 20) commit suicide each year (2000-2002). While most are older White male adolescents, recent Oklahoma suicides have victimized all races, both sexes and children as young as twelve. Even with the improvement in death rates since the 1980’s, Oklahoma’s rankings relative to other states for the most recent year compared (2001) remain among the worst (46th in child death; 43rd in teen death) in the nation. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Lack of education is a cycle threatening current and future generations of Oklahoma children and youth. Youth not completing high school face the possibility of a lifetime of problems, often including poverty, little employment opportunity, poor earning ability, and criminal involvement. Unemployment rates for adult workers are twice as high for dropouts than for graduates. The majority of Oklahoma inmates are high school dropouts. Children of high school dropouts are at a higher risk of quitting school themselves. During the most recent two-year period (School Year 2001/2002 and School Year 2002/2003) an annual average of more than eight thousand (8,080) young Oklahomans quit school without graduating. About sixty-five hundred (6,528) of those dropping out were age 18 or younger. One of every four (25.0%) students in Oklahoma who starts high school as a freshman disappear from the roster prior to graduation. While some may transfer out of state, switch to private schools, become incarcerated or even die, logic dictates that dropouts comprise the large majority of Oklahoma students lost over this four-year period. The methodology used to calculate Oklahoma high school dropout rates has recently been changed in several ways. The new dropout rates are substantially different, currently preventing comparisons over time. The biggest change is in timing. The schedule for data to be turned in by each school district has been altered in an effort to provide each district more time to determine whether a student transferred to another school district or dropped out. If successful, the new methodology should present a more accurate count of Oklahoma dropouts. After this methodology has been applied without further substantial change for at least two more years, Oklahoma Kids Count can return to comparing changes over time. Under the new method of calculation, Oklahoma’s high school dropout rate averages 3.8% during the most recent two-year period (School Year 2001/2002 and School Year 2002/2003). Currently, the highest and worst rate of children leaving school without graduating (5.4%) is found in Pushmataha County; the lowest and best (0.2%) is in Alfalfa County. During the most recent two year period (School Year 2001/2002 and School Year 2002/2003) the proportion of high school dropouts who were girls (46.1%) and the proportion who were boys (53.9%) changed little from past years. Seventeen is the most common age an Oklahoma dropout leaves high school. Compared to any other grade, the largest numbers currently leave school during the tenth grade. During the most recent two-year period (School Year 2001/2002 and School Year 2002/2003) the large majority (4,522 per year or 56.0%) of children failing to finish high school are White. However, while African American children comprise less than ten percent (9.5%) of the child population, they account for a higher proportion (15.6%) of the high school dropouts. Similarly, American Indian children make up eleven percent (11.0%) of Oklahoma’s child population and more than fifteen percent (15.5%) of Oklahoma’s dropouts. During the most recent year for which comparison data is available (2001), Oklahoma remained at about the middle of all states (24th) in the percent of teens who are high school dropouts (9.0% of those ages 16 through 19). The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests Children
at higher risk for involvement in violence and crime include boys
born to teen mothers, children from families whose parents never
completed high school and young people doing poorly in school.
Victims of child abuse and neglect are more likely than others
to later be arrested for delinquent behavior, crimes of violence
or prostitution. A young poor child is more likely than a non-poor
one to be a current victim and a later perpetrator of violent
crime. During the most recent three-year period (2000 -2002) about a thousand (1,001) Oklahoma youths from the ages of 10 through 17 were arrested each year for committing violent crimes. Each year an average of twenty were arrested for murder, two for manslaughter, 59 for forcible rape, 189 for robbery and 732 for aggravated assault. During these three years, four of every five (80.4%) youth arrested for violent crimes in Oklahoma were male. During the most recent three-year period (2000 - 2002), the proportion of Oklahoma youths from the ages of 10 through 17 arrested for violent crimes decreased slightly when compared to the three-year period just two years earlier (1998 - 2000). Oklahoma violent crime arrest rates for this age group moved from 251.4 to 246.7 per 100,000 youth, with comparable rates staying the same or improving in most (43 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties. The current proportion of Oklahoma youths from the ages of 10 through 17 arrested for violent crimes continues to improve from the record highs recorded during the 1990’s. The rate of arrest for these youth (246.7 arrests per 100,000 youth) during the most recent three-year period (2000 - 2002) is substantially improved over that of the comparison three-year period (334.1 arrests per 100,000 youth for 1990 - 1992). Comparable rates also improved or remained the same during the same period in just over half (40 of 77) of Oklahoma’s counties. Currently, the highest and worst rate of youths from the ages of 10 through 17 (738.7 arrests per 100,000 youth) arrested for violent crimes is found in Jefferson County. The lowest and best rates (0.0 arrests per 100,000 youth) are in seven Oklahoma counties (Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Grant, Harper, and Roger Mills). While
non-White children comprise only about one-fifth (21.8%) of the
child population, they accounted for about twice as many (41.8%)
of the violent crime arrests of children under age 18 during the
most recent three-year period. The section of the report–complete with charts and graphs–is available for download in pdf format.
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