Rise in gun violence, improvements in poverty rate highlight new survey on challenges facing Kentucky children

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new survey highlights the challenges children face across Kentucky, and one of the biggest increases is in child firearm deaths.

The 2022 Kentucky Kids Count County Data Book, which was released Tuesday, shows firearm deaths from children aged 1-19 increased 83% between 2013-15 and 2018-20, from 3.6 to 6.6 deaths per 100,000 kids.

"A recurring theme from young people was feeling threatened by too many guns in their community," the report said.

Community violence, addiction and other adverse childhood experiences have a significant, long-term impact, according to Terry Brooks, director of Kentucky Youth Advocates.

"It affects them for a lifetime," he said. "It literally not only affects them today or tomorrow, but as adults, it lingers. ... You cannot separate community violence today from the impact its going to have on young people when they become adults."

The state poverty rate dropped nearly six points since 2015, and Jefferson County's rate is significantly lower than the state's as a whole.

Statewide, 190,000 Kentucky children remain in poverty, or 19%. Brooks said in Louisville's poorest neighborhoods, childhood poverty is at 40%, which mirrors the rates found in the state's most rural counties.

"If you look at economic well-being, there's really good news, because we're continuing a pattern where there is a decline in childhood poverty in Kentucky," Brooks said. "That's great news. Conversely, we can never be happy when (190,000) woke up today and are living in poverty."

One of the larger disparities in the historical data was a massive drop in Kentucky's juvenile detention rate. From 2014-16, the rate of Kentucky youth aged 10-17 incarcerated in the juvenile justice system was 26.4. In the new report, the updated number is 13.7.

Part of that, conceivably, came from Frankfort. In an effort to reshape Kentucky’s juvenile justice system, state lawmakers approved a sweeping bill in 2014 creating a system that allowed young people to be charged with multiple crimes before they could be incarcerated. The goal was to keep lower level offenders out of custody and instead get them into diversion programs.

"There's a mythology around the growth in juvenile crime," Brooks said. "It is, frankly, a cop out for some law enforcement entities to talk about that. And as long as they don't have to deal with actual data, they get away with it."

By and large, education numbers in Jefferson County are lower than those statewide. For example, the percentage of Jefferson County eighth-graders who are proficient in math is just 25%. Statewide, it's 36%. Less than 85% of Jefferson County high school students graduate on time. Statewide, it's 89.9%.

"Leaders should know what resources (money and books) kids need to do well in school," Timothy, a 15-year-old Jefferson County resident, was quoted as saying in the report. "This is a starting point."

When asked what it looks like for them to be thriving and living the life of their dreams, many of the kids surveyed said things like. "I will be able to take care of myself" or "I want a stable job and livable home."

"What they are listing as living the life of their dreams are things they shouldn't worry about as minors under the age of voting," Kirsten Yancy, a senior in Graves County, said during a news conference Wednesday in Louisville. "They should be focused on going to school every day and seeing their friends, not worrying about when their next meal is going to be or if they will be safe and cared for in their own household."

The data was collected mostly during 2020-21, but some goes back to 2018 for a larger sample size. Here's a brief breakdown of the results:

Economic Security:

Kentucky children in poverty: 19.4%
- 2015: 25.3%
Improvements were seen in 116 of Kentucky's 120 counties

Education:

Kentucky kindergarteners ready to learn: 44%
- 2016-17: 50.1%
- Jefferson County kindergarteners ready to learn: 43%
Kentucky fourth-graders proficient in reading: 46%
- Jefferson County fourth-graders proficient in reading: 36%
Kentucky eight-graders proficient in math: 36%
- Jefferson County eight-graders proficient in math: 25%
Kentucky high school students graduating on time: 89.9%
- 2016-17: 89.8%
- Jefferson County high school students graduating on time: 84.7%
Test scores declined in about three-fourths of the state's counties

Health Care:

Kentucky smoking during pregnancy: 15.7%
- 2013-15: 19%
- Jefferson County smoking during pregnancy: 8.5%

2013-15: 8.7%
Jefferson County low-birthweight babies: 9.2%

Kentucky children under 19 with health insurance: 95.7%
- 2015: 95.7%
- Jefferson County children under 19 with health insurance: 96.8%
Kentucky teen births (rate per 1,000 women aged 15-19): 24.5
- 2013-15: 34.6
- Jefferson County teen births: 20.5

Family and Community:

Kentucky births to mothers without a high school degree: 13%
- 2013-15: 14.6%
- Jefferson County births to mothers without a high school degree: 13.2%
Kentucky children in foster care (rate per 1,000 children under 18): 53.7
- 2014-16: 41.1
- Jefferson County children in foster care: 38.7

2014-16: 38%
Jefferson County children exiting foster care to reunification with parent or primary caretaker: 33%