Teen Violence in Detroit

Guns come close to ranking as household appliances in Detroit. With an estimated 1.5 million firearms in a city of only 1.2 million people, it is hardly surprising that many guns wind up in the hands of youngsters. Since January, an astonishing 219 people under the age of 17 have been shot in Detroit; 18 have died. Some of the victims are believed to have been involved in the drug trade. Last week a group of 88 students from the city's high schools began a summit meeting to discuss ways of combatting the violence. They will present their recommendations to Mayor Coleman Young in late November.

Why the uncurbed gunplay among Detroit's young people? Overall, violent crime in the city declined slightly in the first six months of 1984. But the youth-gang squad has been diminished to bare bones as part of a 36% reduction in police manpower since 1978. Budget cutbacks in the educational system have led to reductions in security at various schools. Unemployment remains well into double digits. Soup kitchens expect to take in more hungry this year than ever before. A growing number of citizens are below the poverty line. The violence among Detroit's children may be just the most visible manifestation of a city in major distress.