Merced County has the highest jobless rate for teens in the San Joaquin Valley, with an unemployment rate for 16-19 year olds twice the rate for those over 20. Raising the issue of investing in Merced youth is certainly important in the face of such widespread unemployment. As Jimenez said at the press conference, “all we want is a chance. We’re willing to work for it. Are city leaders willing to work with us by making the investment?”
As a young resident of Merced, I think it would be easy to end up in the CalGang database. Every kid, teenager or young adult is still looking for their identity, so everyone wants to fit in and be cool. The trend can be a certain kind of clothes and that may have them looking like they are a gang member. On top of that, friends and family are in gangs, so just we don’t get put in the database we are supposed to ignore our friends and family? I don’t think so!
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