Each weekday afternoon in America, the ringing of the bells signals not just the end of the school day, but the beginning of a time when at least 8 to 15 million of our children are left alone unsupervised. Some Children go home to an empty house while others find different "activities" to do. For working parents it is extremely difficult to supervise their children during those times. That is where after school programs come in to place. After school programs are meant to keep children busy in a safe environment and can dramatically cut the risks of them getting in to some sort of trouble.
             After noon is a dangerous time for American teenagers. Research has found that the after-school hours, form 3:00p.m. - 6:00p.m., are the peak hours of when teenagers experiment with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and sex. It is also the peak period for juvenile crime. These are factors which if not taken care of will definitely lead to greater consequences which can also lead to crimes of a higher magnitude. When teenagers start hanging with the wrong crowd many things can go wrong. Drugs and delinquency are one of the primary downfalls that arise. Crimes are committed; therefore, if they are caught, they have to go to court, they are placed in probation, community service has to be done and they might even have to pay a fine. This is not a nice situation to be in because now one is viewed differently. Parents feel disappointed at you and that is a difficult emotion to explain. All of these self-destructive behaviors can be prevented by the participation of teenagers in enriching activities held by many after school programs.
             The number of children and teenagers without family supervision after school is increasing. After school programs offer safe environments in which children and
             teenagers can gain confidence in themselves. When a child becomes good at a particular activity like sports or mu
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