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BIOBEHAVIORAL SYSTEMS

2636 Grand Avenue # 310
San Diego, CA 92109
858.581.6205
<dpresco1@san.rr.com>
http://www.violence.de

5 May 2000

Mr. Wesley Pruden
Editor in Chief
The Washington Times
3600 New York Ave., N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002

Dear Mr Pruden,

The failure of this country to effectively address the homicidal and suicidal deaths of children and youth in this country has been a failure for over a generation. The Columbine tragedy is a grim reminder of that legacy of failure which has been exacerbated by the failures of the Clinton-Gore-Shalala Administration to establish the essential national health policies that are known to prevent depression, suicidal and homicidal deaths of our children and youth.

Suicidal deaths have doubled from 1979-1997 in the 5-14 year age group. A greater condemnation of any human society cannot be found when such children and youth are so profoundly depressed that death is preferred to living--in America. Despite all the White House Conferences on the subject of children and youth and brain development, they have managed to avoid the central developmental issues that are responsible for the epidemics of depression, suicide, homicide and psychiatric medication of our children.

All the gun control and law enforcement in the world cannot deal with the depression, anger, rage and hate that drives suicidal and homicidal behaviors.

Enclosed are a number of documents for your review that includes correspondence with Congressman Brian Bilbray, President Clinton, George Stephanopoulos and NIH officials concerning decades of gross negligence and indifference by public officials concerning these matters and are in urgent need of correction. Selected documentation is provided for your review and additional information can be found at <http://www.violence.de> and from the office of Congressman Bilbray.

These issues are in urgent need of public disclosure, debate and congressional/administrative action, which is not coming from this Administration. Hopefully, your newspaper can provide such a forum for such a national debate.

I am in the process of moving from California and, thus, am handicapped in providing additional information that you may require in a timely manner. Congressman Bilbray has a complete file or I can email them to you, if you desire. I am moving from California on May 11 and can be reached after that date at the following address:

[...]

Enclosed is a video documentary, "Rock A Bye Baby, a national and international award winning documentary by Time Life films, which I was honored to premier at the 1970 White House Conference on Children plus other documentaries. This video describes the scientific breakthroughs made in the late 1960s and early 1970s by NICHD supported research, which documented how failed bonding in the mother-infant/child relationship leads to developmental brain disorders and the behavioral pathologies of depression and violence. A viewing of this documentary will facilitate an understanding of the published materials and their implications for national public health policies.

I will look forward to your positive response to the enclosed.

Sincerely,

James W. Prescott, Ph.D.
Director