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Poor teens in Baltimore 'fare worse' than teens in India
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Poverty is often thought of as something that strikes kids in places like Africa and India. And while that's true, a new study shows that poor American teens might feel the effects of poverty like violence as much or more than their counterparts in other places.

A global study of low-income teens analyzed living conditions of 15-19 year olds in poor neighborhoods in Baltimore, Shanghai, Johannesburg, New Delhi and Ibadan, Nigeria. While all of these locations are affected by poverty, teens in Baltimore and Johannesburg reported their well-being to be worse.

Why should Baltimore teens feel the effects of poverty so keenly compared to their counterparts who live in poorer countries? Part of the answer is violence and social problems.

Baltimore and Johannesburg teens felt less safe than their peers. Only 43.9 percent of males in Johannesbuerg said they felt safe in their neighborhoods, and 66 percent of females in Baltimore. They also had the highest averages for witnessing violence.

When you look at how they perceive their environments, kids in both Baltimore and Johannesburg are fearful. They dont feel safe from violence, lead author of the study Kristen Mmari, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins, told Vacativ.

This is something we didnt really see in other cities. In Shanghai, for example, there wasnt a great deal of violence. Youd ask kids about their safety concerns, and they would say something like, Im afraid of crossing a busy street.

These two cities also showed low perceptions about their physical environments and "social cohesion" or the sense of general well-being and belonging in a community.

Baltimore teens had high rates of mental health issues, drug use, sexual violence and teen pregnancy, while teens in New Delhi had few signs of these social problems.

The study linked violence and weak social cohesion with some of these issues. Fifty percent of adolescent girls in Baltimore and 29 percent in Johannesburg had been pregnant, while more than 10 percent of teenage girls in both cities said they have been raped or assaulted by someone in the previous year.

The study authors noted that the total wealth of a country like the U.S. is not always linked to better social circumstances for its poor communities.

"It is worth noting that in spite of its location in a high-income country, the Baltimore neighborhood had some of the lowest ratings," study authors wrote.
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Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
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Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

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