This report examines the living and working conditions of adolescent migrant farmworkers. Interviews were conducted with 216 youth working during peak harvest time in six states, as well as with adult farmworkers, family members of working youth, and farm labor contractors. Most of the youth were 14-17 years old, although a few had begun work as early as 11; were overwhelmingly male; and were living on their own. Very few were U.S. citizens or legal residents. Originating primarily in Mexico and Guatemala, a surprising proportion were indigenous. Adolescent farmworkers lived in the most marginal conditions within an already marginalized population. Housing was extremely crowded and substandard. Seventy percent of interviewees had only an elementary education or less. Those with at least some secondary education were generally interested in furthering their education. Migrant youth working in agriculture suffered many threats and risks to both their physical and mental health. This report makes extensive recommendations concerning needs for: longitudinal research to guide new initiatives; new educational program designs to serve out-of-school migrant youth, particularly in the areas of English language learning, numeracy, and lifelong learning skills; expanded eligibility for federal job training programs; enhanced legal protection of working youth and enhanced enforcement of existing regulations; improved migrant health programs and migrant housing; and new strategies to manage the influx of transnational migrant youth into the U.S. farm labor market. (Contains 38 notes.) (SV)
