Kids These Days critically examines the hottest news stories of the past few years to assess whether the news is really as bad as it sounds. Is kidnapping by strangers really a bigger threat now than in the past? Are disputes at school now settled with guns instead of fists? And are kids, especially girls, becoming bigger bullies than ever before? This book dissects the stories that made headlines and explores overall trends and statistics to compare the hype to the reality. The truth is that kids today do face unique obstacles and challenges, but their situation isn't nearly as dire as the compelling news accounts would have us believe. Rather, the author proposes that our nation's youth have been targeted as a problem population to absolve adult responsibility for creating the often dangerous and difficult conditions many young people must deal with.