TY - JOUR AU - Campbell, David AU - Trzesniewski, Kali AU - Nathaniel, Keith C. AU - Enfield, Richard P. AU - Erbstein, Nancy TI - Positive youth development merits state investment JF - California Agriculture JO - Calif Agr Y1 - 2013/01/01 VL - 67 IS - 1 SP - 38 EP - 46 PB - University of California Agriculture and Nature Resources SN - 0008-0845 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3733/ca.v067n01p38 L3 - 10.3733/ca.v067n01p38 AB - In the last three decades, positive youth development has emerged as the new paradigm for youth-related research and programming. The literature provides strong evidence that high-quality youth programs can have positive and significant effects. Positive youth development is strongly associated with three outcomes of particular public significance: improved school achievement and graduation rates, decreased incidence of risk behaviors and increased sense of personal efficacy and empathy. A strong economic case could be built for increasing public investment in positive youth development programs. What is needed now is more and better data, and measurable goals at the state level.