It takes a nation to raise a child

Re “Killings of youths tied to child protection system soar in 2006,” Dec. 23

As a dependency judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, I read with great interest your story about the number of children with some connection to child protection services in the county who died in 2006. I found the implication that our county’s social services agencies should be held responsible for making otherwise gang-infested neighborhoods safe too easy. The fault lies with our county, state and nation, all of which are responsible for the shocking dearth of resources we make available to support families in need.

There are never enough resources to do the job that needs to be done -- not enough well-trained social workers, support for community drug rehab programs, quality placement facilities, preventive family preservation services, community anti-gang programs or after-school activities for kids. There does not seem to be any constituency with enough power to generate the necessary attention or resources to attend to these problems.

JAN G. LEVINE

Pacific Palisades

*

If anyone thinks social workers are going to prevent the drive-by shootings of juveniles, they are sadly mistaken. More likely, gun control and spending the billions we are throwing away in Iraq on medical and mental health, poverty and education here at home would do the trick

PATRICIA A. PEPPER

San Diego