Gang members,drug manufactures and dealers make up the largest numbers of inmates held within prisons, filling them to capacity and then some. Overcrowded prisons drain countries of the financial resources needed to stabilize their infrastructures and for modernizing their internal industries to enable them to compete successfully with other countries in the highly competitive world markets. Hunger and poverty is no longer restricted to still developing countries. It is a widespread problem that even very well developed countries like the United States , has not escaped from with steadily rising unemployment, poverty, and hunger rates.

Over time if world leaders, governments, organizations, and individuals do not take the necessary steps to stem this tide of global deterioration of the world’s modern societies, it will only worsen. We have to stop ignoring these problems in the hopes they will just go away. We also have to stand together against those things that are leading to the disintegration of whole societies, yours, mine, and ours.

Children that drop our of school are not equipped with the academic, technological, and specialized skills needed to compete with others locally and nationally for jobs and salaries, and most certainly not with others on an international level. If we do not do something to turn this around now, even the world’s largest markets could be in danger of collapse and that would spell disaster and mass suffering for people around the globe. The Child Trends Database has compiled some interesting facts on the correlation between dropouts and increased crime.

Too many of these drop outs are also left to fend for themselves by working, neglectful, or abusive parents. Without school to keep their minds occupied with gaining knowledge, and parents to supervise their activities, they roam the streets harassing and harming innocent people. They cause millions and millions of dollars in damage to buildings and properties each year.  They commit heinous crimes such as murders, sexual assaults, and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes.

Thefts from stores, which cause storeowners to raise their prics to offset losses, affects us all in having to pay more for the things we need. In these times of great financial difficulties being felt around the world people are straining enough to feed and care for their families without aimless youth causing everyone to pay more.

Early intervention to prevent children from dropping out of school is the first step to helping improve conditions and reduce crimes worldwide. Spending the money to create specialized areas of study to help prepare students for competing successfully on national and international levels is in the best interest of everyone.  Soon these children will be the ones making the policies and decisions that will directly affect everyone’s quality of life. We should invest in a better future for us all by investing in the children of the world and their educations now. Not only do world leaders need to get involved in solving increasing drop out rates which leads to increases in crimes, poverty, and hunger, we all can help. Offer to mentor an at-risk child to encourage him or her to stay in school and get the education needed to compete and succeed as the next generation to take over.