JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – A recent report reveals that Mississippi is among the states with the most kids heading in the wrong direction.

Research indicates that negative youth outcomes are influenced by youth substance abuse, lack of parental engagement, poor academic performance, unemployment rates and poverty. Due to these factors and others, WalletHub ranked Mississippi 7th nationally for most at-risk youth.

According to the website, Mississippi has the 14th-lowest percentage of drug users nationally. However, the Magnolia State has the sixth-highest rate of disconnected youth and the 10th-highest high school dropout rate. Mississippi youth have the second-lowest labor force participation rate and rank fourth nationally for those in poverty.

Research also indicates that poor youth outcomes correlate with high youth crime rates. In 2024, Mississippi youth have been part of many headlines throughout the state. Four teenagers were charged with capital murder for the death of Southern Miss football player Marcus “MJ” Daniels, Jr. Three Rankin County teenagers were arrested in connection to the killing of 14-year-old Cameron Horne-Crook.

To help address these issues, government and non-profit agencies offer services to help the state’s at-risk youth. Community partners receive funding through the Mississippi Department of Human Services to support school-age children and the parents who raise them. For more information, click here .

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