3:00 to 8:00 pm are the hours that youth in low income communities engage in risky behaviors. According to studies, violent juvenile crime triples during the hours from 3:00 to 8:00 PM, and it is during these same hours that children face the most serious danger of becoming victims of crime. Unsupervised after-school hours represent a period of significant risk in other arenas as well, including increased risk of substance abuse and early sexual activity.

Governor Christie, we are asking that you do not to cut these vital and essential programs! It is shown through studies that students who participate in high quality, constructive after-school programs demonstrate higher school attendance, higher language re-designation rates and improved performance on standardized tests. Studies have also show drops in teen crime, pregnancy, and school drop out rates.

We are asking that citizens that reside in the state of New Jersey sign this petition to ensure that after school programs stay open and available to all students in the state of New Jersey.