Youth manslaughter rate up four spots
Monterey County had the highest youth manslaughter rate in California in 2010, followed by Alameda County, according to an analysis by the Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit group focused on curbing firearm violence.
Merced County was ranked fifth in 2010, a jump from the ninth spot the previous year. San Joaquin County was ranked No. 3, with 30 manslaughters in 2010.
Stanislaus County was ranked 17th among the 35 counties in the youth violence study. Only counties with at least 25,000 residents ages 10 to 24 were included in the study.
The statewide study found that firearms, mostly handguns, were the weapon of choice in the manslaughters.
"We've seen an increase in the propensity for young people to be involved in gun violence, in terms of robberies and gang activity," said Lt. Rick Armendariz, a Modesto police spokesman. "We do see an alarming amount of guns on the street, the majority of them in the possession of gang members."
Josh Sugarmann, executive director at the Violence Policy Center, said the youth manslaughter rates "show the urgent need for effective violence-prevention strategies that stress tailored, localized approaches that engage local leaders and community stakeholders."
The manslaughter rate for 10- to 24-year-olds in Monterey County, which includes Salinas, was 24.36 per 100,000, nearly triple the statewide rate. Alameda County, which includes Oakland, had a rate of 18.41 per 100,000.
Salinas long has struggled with violence.
"Our neighborhoods -- especially on the east side -- have experienced so much death and violence over the last 20 to 30 years that a lot of these people have started to display symptoms of PTSD," said Brian Contreras, who co-founded the Second Chance youth program, which works to prevent gang violence in Monterey County. "Our kids don't want to go out at night."
The high youth manslaughter rate in Monterey County may stem in part from an entrenched gang culture and a lack of activities, he said. "There's really nothing to do, not stuff for young people."
Oakland also has traditionally struggled with gang problems, said Billie Weiss, an epidemiologist at UCLA who studies injury and violence prevention.
Risk factors for youth violence include high unemployment, poverty and drug trafficking, she said.
Despite the high rate in some counties, there are signs that youth violence might be decreasing in California. El Dorado, Humboldt, Napa, Placer and Sonoma counties had no youth killings in 2010.
Statewide, the youth manslaughter rate dropped from 10.5 per 100,000 in 2009 to 8.5 in 2010. The rate fell even further in Monterey County. In 2009, the rate was more than 31 per 100,000.
"Even though they're No. 1, their rate has gotten better," said Sugarmann, a co-author of the manslaughter study.
The number of youth manslaughters also dropped in Stanislaus County.
In 2010, seven young people were murdered in Stanislaus County, creating a youth manslaughter rate of 5.78 per 100,000. There were 16 young people murdered in 2009, which placed the county in the eighth spot that year.
Armendariz, the Modesto police spokesman, credits enforcement, education and outreach programs in the county that are working hand-in-hand to pull youths from gangs and drugs while steering them toward school and jobs.
"We've incorporated more of a collaborative approach to address those issues; working with schools, businesses, faith-based organizations and community groups," he said. "It's an ongoing effort."
Jorge Perez, an outreach coordinator for Modesto City Schools, said the district works on strategies to prevent youth violence on or near campuses.
"If we hear of a problem among students, instead of responding after the fact, we try our best to resolve the situation with conflict resolution," he said. "The goal is to ensure the safety of our students and keep them in school."
Alameda County also saw its youth manslaughter rate decline, from 20.69 in 2009 to 18.41 in 2010.
Monterey County's rate for 2011 likely will drop when the numbers are final. Salinas had less than half the number of shootings in 2011 than it did in 2010.
Contreras, the Monterey County youth advocate, credits coordinated efforts by violence prevention organizations, community groups and law enforcement.
Efforts to teach neighborhood residents the warning signs of violence, as well as programs to help the community heal, have had an impact, he said. Police initiated a cease-fire program for high-risk gang members and stepped up arrests of key gang members, he said. Plans for a new soccer complex and upgrades to the crowded, aging library also might help reduce youth violence, Contreras said.
The manslaughter numbers don't capture the full toll of gun violence because they don't account for nonfatal shootings and suicides, said Weiss, the UCLA epidemiologist.
"While manslaughters are easiest for us to get at, they are the tip of the iceberg," she said.
California Watch is a project of the nonprofit Center for Investigative Reporting. Contact the author at tghose@cironline.org. For more, visit californiawatch.org.
Modesto Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada contributed to this report.
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