Young people who are neither employed or enrolled in school—dubbed “opportunity youth"—will cause a $1.56 trillion tax burden and a social burden of $4.75 trillion over their lifetimes, according to a new report.
The writers calculate that 6.7 million Americans between 16 and 24—that’s 17 percent of the total population in that age span—are what the report calls opportunity youths. The authors’ calculations include lost earnings and tax payments and costs from increased crime, welfare, and health supports.
The report comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service and the White House Council for Community Solutions.
