Reno Hears Views of Youths on Urban Troubles

U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno took part in a lively three-city teleconference Thursday morning in which many of the young participants took the government to task for its apparent inability to understand or cope with such urban problems as drive-by shootings, rape and drug addiction.

The two-hour session, “Our Nation at Risk: Youth, Violence and Contemporary America,” used phone lines and audio, video and computer technology to link Reno and members of Congress with 15 students from Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, an impassioned Gabriella Villareal, 17, complained that the federal government often spends more time blaming minorities in urban areas about the drug problem than pursuing international suppliers.

“I find it incredible that the government can stop a boat of Haitians from coming into the country but they can’t stop drug shipments,” she said.

Villareal, who lives in Atwater Village, scolded federal, state and local leaders for presuming to know what’s right for troubled communities. Her comments were interrupted by moderator Hal Bruno, ABC News’ political director. Bruno advised Villareal to keep her statements brief because Reno soon would have to leave the teleconference.

Reno disagreed. “Actually, she’s right,” Reno said. “I think we should hear her out.”

Villareal complained that government groups often ask for input from so-called community leaders at the expense of talented, grass-roots leaders who have a history and connection with the neighborhoods.

Villareal was one of five Los Angeles participants, members of Youth Task Force L.A., a civic participation program sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation.

The session was sponsored by the American Bar Assn.’s Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship, with support from the Justice Department.