    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [October 15, 1999]
    [Pages 1800-1801]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on the White House Council on Youth Violence
    October 15, 1999

    Memorandum of the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor, the
    Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, the
    Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy
    Subject: White House Council on Youth Violence

        Violence by youth and against youth is an issue that deeply concerns
    us all. Youth violence can be thought of as a juvenile crime issue, as a
    public health issue, and as a school safety issue. It affects every
    region and demographic group. As many recent incidents have made us
    aware, it is a problem that can strike with unexpected force--and that
    now demands uncommonly unified responses. That is why I announced, on
    August 17, 1999, that a nonprofit, nonpartisan ``National Campaign
    Against Youth Violence'' had been established to bring together all
    segments of society to help prevent youth violence.
        The Federal Government already addresses many aspects of youth
    violence through its programs. I am particularly proud of the joint
    efforts of the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human
    Services, and the Secretary of Education in developing the Safe Schools/
    Healthy Students initiative. These agencies also worked well together to
    help us respond quickly to the Columbine High School incident. I have
    read with interest the report of the Attorney General's Coordinating
    Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. I look forward
    to the report that the Surgeon General in response to my May request is
    preparing on the causes of youth violence. The Secretary of Labor's
    efforts to address the needs of youth are also about to bear fruit, as
    high-poverty communities implement our new Youth Opportunity Grants, and
    as the Secretary and the Attorney General finalize their agreement for
    cooperative work on those grants and on Labor's Youth Offender grant
    program.
        With so many agencies and programs involved, and with the need for
    my Administration to work closely with different elements of State and
    local governments, tribes, schools, community groups, and families, it
    has become increasingly clear to me that the Federal Government needs a
    more effective policy coordination strategy for youth violence issues.
    Therefore, today I direct the Assistant for Domestic Policy to form a
    White House Council on Youth Violence to provide this policy
    coordination, to provide flexible and timely responses to the challenge
    of youth violence, and to ensure that our Nation's citizens are able to
    benefit from the Federal Government's many antiviolence initiatives.

    Structure of the Council

        The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy will chair the
    Council. The Office of the Vice President and the Office of Management
    and Budget will be regular participants. Four agency heads will be the
    regular program members of the Council:
        The Attorney General, responding to the juvenile crime
                aspects;
        The Secretary of Health and Human Services, responding to
                the public health aspects, including mental health aspects,
                and to family issues;
        The Secretary of Education, responding to the school safety
                issues; and
        The Secretary of Labor, responding to youth employment and
                out-of-school youth issues.
        The Chair of the Council may add such other officials as he deems
    appropriate to further the purposes of this overall effort or to
    participate in specific aspects of it. For example, matters relating to
    public health aspects would involve

    [[Page 1801]]

    the Surgeon General. Matters relating to firearms control or drug abuse
    would involve the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of National
    Drug Control Policy, respectively. Implications for economic development
    policies would call for involvement of the Secretary of Housing and
    Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of
    Commerce. Comparable policies for Indian country would engage the
    Secretary of the Interior. Issues relating to community service
    opportunities for youth would involve the Chief Executive Officer of the
    Corporation for National and Community Service.
        The Chair, after consultation with Council members, will appoint
    staff members to coordinate the Council's efforts. The Chair may call
    upon the participating agencies for logistical support to the Council,
    as necessary.

    Duties of the Council

        1. Develop a citizen's information hub. The Council will develop and
    maintain a coordinated inventory of relevant agency programs and provide
    analyses of their effectiveness. It will make this inventory widely
    available in summary form--and upon request in more detail--through the
    services of the appropriate Council member, to elected officials,
    community groups, police organizations, school systems, parents, and
    others working on local solutions to these issues. The inventory and
    full texts of program reports and evaluations should be available on an
    easily accessible website. The availability of this compilation will be
    widely publicized.
        2. Produce reports on youth violence. The Council will prepare or
    have prepared reports on various aspects of the problem of youth
    violence, describing, for instance, best practices in combating the
    problem. In doing so, the Council should consult with nonprofits,
    foundations, and other organizations that have conducted research and/or
    developed resources on the prevention of youth violence. In addition,
    the Surgeon General is now carrying out a broad study of the potential
    causes of youth violence. I ask that the Surgeon General consult closely
    with the Council in the development of the study so that I may have the
    benefit of participation of all the involved agencies in its analysis
    and findings.
        3. Expand the Safe Schools/Healthy Students model of collaboration.
    This initiative of the Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and
    Human Services has evolved into a highly effective collaboration among
    the agencies. The Council will oversee this effort and examine options
    for improving its operations and applying the model to other
    governmental efforts. The Secretary of Labor will begin participation in
    the initiative through establishing linkages to Youth Opportunities and
    Youth Offender grants.
        4. Provide tools for parents to deal with the issue. Many Federal
    programs address issues relating to strengthening the family and helping
    parents raise children. The Council will explore the possibility of
    devising a cross-program strategy to help parents address youth
    violence. It will also report on new tools emerging in both the private
    and public sectors to assist parents.
        5. Coordinate the Federal research agenda. The Council will oversee
    coordination of agency research agendas and the development of needed
    cross-agency research collaborations. I ask the Council to seek to have
    this structure in place to support the planning for FY 2001 research
    funds, and where feasible, to improve the planned use of funds available
    from prior years.
        6. Develop further policy responses. The Council will meet at the
    call of the Chair to discuss new findings from analyses of the youth
    violence issue and to consider new or modified Administration responses
    to it, especially those that involve more than one agency.
    Recommendations for initiatives will be discussed in the Council for
    consistency with overall coordinated policy before being presented for
    formal decision in the budget process. From time to time, the Council
    will report to me directly on the results of its efforts.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    cc: The Vice President

    The Secretary of the Treasury

    The Secretary of the Interior

    The Secretary of Agriculture

    The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

    The Director of the Office of Management and Budget

    The Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy