Inner City Blues: Children Raised in Inner-Cities Face Comparable PTSD Causing Conditions and Consequences as Military Veterans and Deserve Our Attention

Abstract

Check your surroundings, trust no one, move quickly, and leave no man behind. These instructions may sound like the words by which military personnel live. But they are also utilized by youth in many inner cities of the United States.

Many children in places like Chicago, Baltimore and other cities experience the same posttraumatic-stress disorder symptoms as military veterans. This is the result of growing up in crime ridden cities which sometimes have higher rates of violence than those locations military personnel are deployed to. Despite this, little is said about the effects the crime rates have on children living in American cities. It is not the goal of this Article to diminish the experiences of military personnel, but rather to compare the similarities and differences between the two. Military veterans and children are expected to grow and function as ordinary citizens. A noticeable difference, however, is that while veterans may return to the comfort of their own home, for inner city youth, the war never ends.

This Article addresses more of the similarities and differences that these two groups share. The objective is to highlight the need for positive coping strategies, preventative programs, and guidance to those children growing up in these environments. The author accomplishes this by explaining the history of posttraumatic stress disorder in relation to children and veterans, using United States crime statistics, and presenting remedies for the issue, some of which have been proven by the YMCA in Chicago via the Urban Warriors Program, and others which have been recognized by Rodney Walker, an author and former child of an inner city. Only by recognizing and taking action may we end the elements that contribute to a cycle of violence and overshadowed youth.

Keywords: PTSD, Inner city youth, Symptoms, Cycle of violence, Military veterans

JEL Classification: I00, I14, I18, I3, I31, K00, K10, K14