[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7534-S7535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             JUVENILE CRIME

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, Today, Senator Lieberman and I will 
host a policy forum entitled ``The Young and the Violent: What is 
Behind the Spread of Juvenile Violence--and What Can Be Done About 
It?''
  The horror of the killings in Jonesboro, Arkansas; Paducah, Kentucky; 
Edinboro, Pennsylvania, Springfield, Oregon; Fayetteville, Tennessee, 
among other places, shattered forever the illusion that ``it can't 
happen here.'' The young and the violent are found in small towns as 
well as big cities, and their numbers, as well as their crimes, are 
growing.
  We will hear today from some of the most respected criminologists in 
the nation--as well as those who are working to transform their 
communities and solve their problems locally. Their insights on the 
causes, catalysts and consequences of the spread of juvenile crime are 
helpful in grappling with the most important questions of our time, 
namely: why has crime risen and civility declined? How have we failed 
to civilize our children? What is happening to our national character?
  Make no mistake, our culture has changed radically over the past few 
decades. Since the mid-1960s, violent juvenile crime has increased more 
than 500 percent. And even though teen violence has dropped over the 
past three years, teen murders have jumped dramatically since even the 
early 1980s--and there is reason to believe that they will continue to 
increase.
  Not only have the rates and number of juvenile crimes increased, but 
they have changed in nature as well. Juvenile crime has grown 
increasingly predatory--where teens kill strangers for the most trivial 
of matters--a jacket, or a dirty look--or even worse, for sport.
  Moreover, the young and the violent are found in rural and suburban 
areas, as well as the inner cities. Gangs and guns are ever more 
visible in our schools. Fistfights begin to seem

[[Page S7535]]

quaint by comparison. Violence that was once unthinkable now fails to 
shock. In our schools, and across the nation, we have, to borrow a 
phrase from my colleague Senator Moynihan, ``defined deviancy down.''
  This forum seeks answers to the questions of why kids kill, why teen 
violence is on the rise, and what can be done about it. Of course, 
there are no easy answers. But there are a lot of contributing factors.
  Perhaps the single most important factor is the continued breakdown 
of the American family. Today, almost a third of all children are born 
out of wedlock. Around half of all children will live in a broken home 
before they turn 18. Tens of millions of little boys and girls will 
grow up without a loving and committed father.
  There are other cultural warning signs. Popular entertainment 
continues to glamorize violence. Movies and computer games grow ever 
more gory and grisly. Chart-topping songs feature lyrics celebrating 
torture, rape, and murder.
  Glorifying violence in popular entertainment--whether it be music, or 
movies, or video games--is dangerous. It is dangerous because a society 
that glorifies violence will grow more violent.
  We had a hearing recently on the issue of music lyrics. One person 
made the point along this line and said that if John Philip Sousa's 
music makes us feel patriotic, and if other music, like Frank 
Sinatra's, makes us feel romantic, what does music that is violent make 
us feel? If it is hateful, if it is anti-women, if it is oriented 
towards death and destruction, we think that is going to make us feel 
that way--that music will just wrap around your soul and cause some 
distortions to take place.

  But most importantly, this discussion will focus on ways to prevent, 
curtail, and combat teen violence--whether on the Congressional, state, 
local, or societal level.
  I hope that we will gain insight not only on the proper government 
policies to deter and combat crime, but also on non-governmental 
initiatives--including those by churches, faith-based organizations, 
and charities--that have reached out to troubled youth, and succeeded 
where government has failed.
  One of the great things about our nation is that for each of our 
problems, there are people who are living and working the solution. In 
churches, youth groups, schools, charities, and families across the 
nation, miracles are every day taking place. These groups show what is 
possible by what is actual--that is, their real-life success stories 
should inspire us with the possibilities.
  We in Congress need to enact wise and prudent crime-fighting 
policies. But we also need to allow these small, often faith-based 
groups to touch the souls and transform the lives of those in need.
  Mr. President, I know that you, as the Presiding Officer and a 
Senator in this body, know full well the problems that we are facing in 
this culture and in this society, and the increase in the violent 
nature of what is happening here. We are all troubled and very 
perplexed by it.
  What we are hoping with this discussion and policy forum that Senator 
Lieberman and I have today is that we will be able to begin the 
national dialog--actually not only begin but continue the national 
dialog--about what each of us can do now to become a more civilized 
country to stop the violence from growing.
  Abe Lincoln made a point that the United States frequently is a 
nation that moves to a common thought. I think today we have decided we 
have focused in on saying this is a major problem. Youth violence is a 
major problem. What can each of us in our individual capacities and our 
capacities in this body, or in other places--in our communities and 
homes, in our churches and synagogues--do to solve this problem?
  That is what we are going to focus on today--some of the individual 
solutions that have taken place, what are appropriate governmental 
policies. But, more importantly, let's get to the common thought on how 
to start solving this growing problem in America.
  I invite my colleagues to tune in to this policy forum that we will 
have starting today at 2:30. I hope some of them will be willing to 
join us and follow the subsequent proceedings as we pick up this debate 
and try to carry it on forward.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
session be put into recess until after the caucuses.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to that request?
  Mr. BROWNBACK. I object to that.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. I withdraw the request.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, what is the parliamentary situation?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is debating a motion to proceed on 
S. 648.
  Mr. LEAHY. I thank the Chair.

                          ____________________