The nation made slight gains in the well-being of its children from 2000 to 2006, but an annual report released today indicates that the progress still lags behind the steady improvements of the late 1990s.

One of the most alarming findings is that the number of children living in poverty has increased by 1 million from 2000 to 2006, said Laura Beavers, the author of the 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book.

"Families are continuing to struggle economically," she said, and the report found wide gaps across racial and state lines.

The report, funded by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation, compiles information on child well-being and ranks states according to 10 factors.

With an overall ranking of 40, Georgia made a slight improvement over its ranking of 41 last year. South Carolina's overall ranking of 46 did not change from a year ago.

Georgia and South Carolina rank in the bottom 10 in five of the indicators.

The two states fell in the bottom tier of the percentage of children living in single-parent families, the percentage of low-birth-weight babies, the teen birth rate and the infant mortality rate.

Georgia's percentage of high-school dropouts and the percentage of South Carolina teens who were not in school and not working also ranks among the worst in the nation.

"Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to have problems in many other areas of their lives," Ms. Beavers said.

According to the report, Georgia's child poverty rate went from 18 percent to 20 percent between 2000 and 2006.

Mayor Deke Copenhaver wrote in an e-mail that his research indicates about 18 percent of children live in poverty locally.

He wrote that child poverty has an adverse effect on society as a whole, extending far beyond the costs of providing adequate nutrition, medical care, education and housing.

"The issue of childhood poverty, and poverty in general, tears away at the fabric of a community in that it serves to establish a lack of hope that is passed down from generation to generation," he wrote. "The community has a very real responsibility to address this issue from a moral perspective as these children are our children."

Dale Peeples, a pediatric psychiatrist and assistant professor at Medical College of Georgia, said the overall statistics for Georgia and South Carolina are reflected in the local community.

"Low socioeconomic status and childhood poverty, especially in the early years of life ages 1 to 3, can have a significant impact on cognitive development and academic performance," Dr. Peeples said.

He also said childhood poverty can lead to physical and mental health problems in adulthood.

The foundation also released a report that calls for reform of the nation's juvenile justice systems.

"Our juvenile justice systems have become dumping grounds for high-need, but low-risk, youth," said Bart Lubow, the director of the Casey Foundation's Program for High-Risk Youth.

He said the report found that African-American teens are treated more harshly than other teens at each stage of the justice system.

"I would say that that is definitely incorrect in Richmond County," Sheriff Ronnie Strength said. "We treat everybody the same. Color has no bearing on how we (do our job). We know right and wrong."

Juvenile Court Judge Doug Flanagan agreed, saying the youths he sees in court share another common trait.

"Most of the people who have a lot of these problems also have economic problems," he said.

Judge Flanagan said a new juvenile justice code has been proposed for Georgia. He also said the system's biggest problem is a lack of funding to provide intervention services.

"Juvenile court finds nobody guilty. We find them in need of treatment, supervision or rehabilitation," Judge Flanagan said.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.