Occupying idle teen hands

Like Cincinnati, many cities across the country are trying to prevent the volatile mix of teen boredom and hot temperatures by implementing summer jobs programs.

Cincinnati’s April job fair brought together 125 employers with 2,500 applicants, but, according to U.S. News and World Report, Mayor Mark Mallory is unsure how many of those contacts led to jobs.

The Center for Labor Market Studies of Northeastern University forecasts that summer teen employment will not rise above 34 percent, the worst jobless rate for teens in 61 years.

To help boost teens’ opportunities, more than 140 mayors have signed a letter to Congress asking it to pass a $1 billion authorization bill for youth activities, but support in Washington has been weak.

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