At-Risk-Youth

At-risk youth comprise a vast population of young people often residing in urban areas of the United States. Such youth have been described as being economically and socially disenfranchised and are generally defined as, by virtue of their circumstances, statistically more likely than others to fail. They often live in chronic poverty with negative peer influences, and possibly live in foster care. When the needs of these young people go unmet, their potential negative outcomes include: teenage pregnancy, criminal or antisocial behavior, poor academic performance, shorter life span, mental health problems, and unhealthy relationships.