Youth Survey

 
April 2004
Age Group: 13-15

The following is a summary of the 188 surveys completed by youth between the ages of 13 - 15.

Gender: Male 90 Female 97 No response 1
Age Range: 13 - 15    

What grade are you in? (Circle your answer)
7th   48
8th   56
9th   52
10th   15
11th   17

What town do you live in?
Talihina
Tuskahoma
Whitesboro
Albion
Clayton
Muse
Nashoba
Heavener
Bengal
Leflore
Big Cedar
Haileyville
Buffalo Valley
Fanshaw
Summerfield
Reichart
Wister
Kiamichi
NR 		56
29
7
10
18
4
4
3
2
7
5
1
1
2
6
1
2
1
29

Who do you live with? Check all that apply.
Mother
Father
Stepmother
Stepfather
Grandparent
Aunt/Uncle
Older Sibling
Foster Care
Other 		151
109
11
30
17
10
30
3
1

Race:
Native American
White
Asian American
Mexican American
Puerto Rican
African American
No Response 		49
106
1
5
0
4
2

If Native American please list tribe:
Choctaw
Cherokee
Creek
Cheyenne Arapaho
Seminole
Ponca
Sioux
Pueblo
Chickasaw
Athabascan
NR 		47
10
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
5

1. Does your community offer any fun activities for youth?
Yes - 108 (57%) No - 77 (41%) No response - 3 (2%)

If no, what would you like to have them offer?
- Arcade
- Non school related sports
- Youth dance club
- Bowling
- Youth Center
- Clothing stores
- Skating rink
- Basketball court with lights, so can play at night
- Youth basketball tournaments
- Swimming pool
- Recreational center
- Summer programs
- Movie theatre
- Skate park
- Rodeo
- Drama and speech programs
- Painting and drawing classes

2. Do you or would you participate in cultural activities such as Pow Wows, Sweats, etc.?
Yes - 100 (53%) No - 82 (44%) No response - 6 (3%)

What other cultural activities would you like to have offered?
- Rodeos
- Celtic, Wiccan and Pagan festivals
- Foreign cultures
- Indian storytelling
- Prayer meetings (NAC)

3. Do you know of any youth in your community guilty of committing crimes (destroying property, hurting people or animals, etc.?)
Yes - 135 (72%) No - 47 (25%) No response - 6 (3%)

If yes, about how many do you think have committed crimes?
Less than 10 kids: 89 (47%)      10 to 30 kids: 37 (20%)       40 or more kids: 11 (6%)

4. What do you feel are the top 4 reasons for youth crime/delinquency? (Pick 4 from the following list, then rank them 1-4, with one being most important and 4 least important)
153 (81%) - Alcohol /Drug Abuse
130 (69%) - Peer Pressure
120 (64%) - Lack of Parental Guidance/Supervision
70 (37%) - Lack of Activities (Boredom)
63 (34%) - Stress
61 (32%) - Lack of Money
57 (30%) - Abuse (Emotional, Sexual, Physical)
33 (17%) - Media (TV, Radio, Video Games)
20 (11%) - Status/Respect
9 (5%) - Lack of Culture
2 (1%) - Other, please list:
            too many mouthy people and stupidity

5. Do you feel discriminated against? For example do you feel you're treated unfairly because of your race, gender, etc.?
Yes - 29 (15%) No - 149 (79%) No response - 10 (5%)

If yes, what type of discrimination?
Racial: 11       
Gender: 9       
Others: Foster care, weight/size, speech impediment, braces
If yes, by whom?
Teachers
Classmates
Family Members
Others
 9
13
7
Choctaw Indians, the school system
6. Have you ever been involved in any of the following? Check all that apply.
78 (41%) - A Physical Fight
62 (33%) - Smoking Cigarettes
60 (32%) - Drinking Alcohol
53 (28%) - Bullying
47 (25%) - Skipping school w/out permission
46 (24%) - Carrying a knife to school
41 (22%) - Vandalism
38 (20%) - Setting things on fire
37 (19%) - Stealing from an individual
35 (18%) - Using Drugs
30 (16%) - Suspension from school
29 (15%) - Running away from home
23 (12%) - Stealing from a business
14 (07%) - A Gang
1 (01%) - Carrying a gun to school
0 (0%) - Prostitution
2 (01%) - Other: getting beat up

7. Have you or your friends ever been arrested for a crime?
YOU: Yes - 22 (12%) No - 155 (82%) No response - 11 (6%)
FRIENDS: Yes - 73 (19%) No - 107 (57%) No response - 8 (4%)

If yes, what was the crime?
- Breaking and entering
- Fighting
- Shooting up the school
- Underage drinking
- Stealing
- Drugs and alcohol
- DUI
- Possession of narcotics
- Vandalism
- Assault
- Driving w/o a license
- Public intoxication
- Selling drugs
- Shoplifting

What was the outcome/punishment?
- Jail time
- Community service
- Rehab
- Counseling
- Probation and counseling
- Fine
- Suspended license
- School suspension
- Boot camp
- Juvenile hall
- Restitution

Are you satisfied with the outcome/punishment?
Yes - 63 (34%) No - 23 (12%) No response - 102 (54%)

Have you ever committed a crime but didn't get caught?
Yes - 68 (36%) No - 69 (37%) No response - 51 (35%)

8. Do you feel that youth who commit crimes are punished properly for the crimes that they have committed?
Yes - 95 (51%) No - 84 (45%) No response - 9 (5%)

Please explain your answer:
No: - Punishment is too harsh because they are treated like adults
  - More community service
  - Should do to scared straight
  - Children should not be tried as adults
   
Yes: - Government is fair
  - If they did the crime they deserve the punishment
  - They don't repeat it
  - The current system is working
  - Community service is really hard

How would you change the punishment so that kids learn from the experience?
- First offence shouldn't go on your record
- Kids need a second chance
- Much harsher punishment
- Community service - give back to the community
- Take them to prison and let them see prisoners who have committed crimes
- More severe
- Make so they spend more jail time and no bonding out
- Send them to boot camp
- Make punishment same as adults
- Make first time drug abusers go to classes and etc. instead of jail time
- Take them to jail and call their parents

9. If you or your friends wanted to get drugs, would it be easy to get them?
YOU: Yes - 85 (45%) No - 96 (51%) No response - 7 (4%)
FRIENDS: Yes - 113 (60%) No - 69 (37%) No response - 6 (3%)

10. Do you believe most youth have easy access to a gun?
Yes - 118 (63%) No - 63 (34%) No response - 6 (3%)

11. What kind of help or services should the Choctaw Nation offer that would help stop youth from committing crimes?
- More drug awareness
- A place where kids can hang out and have fun
- Build a skating rink or bowling alley
- More recreational activities that are accessible
- Improve boys and girls club
- Arcade
- Theatre and dance
- Job opportunities
- More activities for older kids
- More job opportunities
- Youth retreat
- Big brother or sister
- After school activities

12. If your community had a Big Brother/Big Sister program, would you be willing to participate?
Yes - 126 (67%) No - 59(37%) No response - 3 (2%)

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