Children growing up in the city of Poughkeepsie are faced with a variety of cultural deficiencies, as they are surrounded by violence, drugs, gangs, and other illegal activities. The most common, and possibly most harmful of all is a lack of adult supervision. This type of unstable upbringing can lead to a steep decline in self-esteem, as well as serious behavioral problems in young people. When children do not receive the love, support, and discipline of a loving mentor, their emotional and psychological development suffers greatly.
