FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998 (202) 616-2765

TDD (202) 514-1888

***RELEASE EMBARGOED UNTIL 3:30PM TODAY***

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO ANNOUNCES

NEW COALITION TO REDUCE YOUTH VIOLENCE

In Aftermath of Jonesboro Tragedy,

Reno Articulates New Challenges

in Reducing Truancy, Gun Violence and Substance Abuse

In a major policy address, Attorney General Janet Reno

announced today in Atlanta that a new coalition of national
service organizations will work in local communities to reduce
youth violence. The "Coalition for America's Children" will meet
five new challenges articulated by Reno.

The Coalition is forming at a time of continuing national concern

about youth violence and in the wake of the tragedy in Jonesboro.
United Way of America is the first organization to take on these
challenges. Her announcement took place at the group's
Community Leaders' Conference.

"I am very pleased to announce that today, as part of this

conference, United Way has agreed to help lead a national
coalition of service providers - The Coalition for America's
Children - to advance five specific, concrete, measurable goals
aimed at improving the health and safe development of our
children," said Reno.
"Over the next two years, the Coalition will aim to make a
dramatic difference in children's health care, school attendance
and after-school enrichment, added Reno. "The Coalition will
attack two other problems which impact children of all ages - gun
violence and the abuse of alcohol and drugs."

According to Reno, the five goals that United Way has agreed to
begin pursuing on behalf of the new Coalition are:

*To reduce truancy by one-third in 200 school districts across the

nation;

(more)

*To develop new programs in 200 communities aimed both at

teaching young people and gun owners about safe and responsible
gun ownership and at keeping guns out of the hands of young
people who possess them illegally;

*To create constructive, engaging, after-school opportunities for

100,000 children who previously have not had access to these
initiatives;

*To ensure that 100,000 more children will participate in effective

programs to prevent and discourage alcohol and drug abuse; and

*To enroll 500,000 children - or approximately 10% of the

eligible children - in health insurance programs.

"By bringing together concerned adults from parent and teacher

groups, from law enforcement, from the medical and religious
communities, from academia and from every other group that
cares about children, I believe this Coalition can substantially
improve our nation in a lasting way," said Reno.

"As we are busy teaching children to be accountable for their

actions, let us, too, be accountable to them, marshalling all our
best resources and energies to ensuring that they have a chance at
a healthy, productive life."

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