If we as a nation are to break the cycle of poverty, crime and the growing underclass of young people ill equipped to be productive citizens, we need to not only implement effective programs to prevent teen pregnancy, but we must also help those who have already given birth so that they become effective, nurturing, bonding parents.

The statement frames teen pregnancy as both a symptom and a contributor to interlocking social problems—poverty, crime, and diminished life chances for children. It argues for a two-track public response: prevention (through “effective programs”) and support for those already parenting, emphasizing skills and conditions that foster secure attachment (“nurturing, bonding parents”). The underlying claim is that moralizing or punitive approaches are insufficient; breaking a “cycle” requires practical, sustained investment in young families so that early parenthood does not translate into long-term social exclusion. It also reflects a policy-oriented, public-health style of advocacy rather than a purely personal or celebrity commentary.