APLS’s ground breaking investigative research has found that the nation’s public school systems are sorely lacking in preparing the youth of today to become the world leaders of tomorrow. Originally, this site was to be dedicated to empowering troubled youth and assisting in turning their lives around using up to the minute goal setting procedures and performance guidance. Later, it was found that the need goes much further than that... all youth need these services.

Below is an article found in USA Today:

The University of North Carolina-Charlotte research found that nearly 1 in 3 youth will be arrested by the age of 23! "Arrest is a pretty common experience," says Robert Brame, a criminologist and principal author of the study.

The new data show a sharp increase from a previous study that stunned the American public when it was published 44 years ago by criminologist Ron Christensen. Previously the study found that 22% of youth would be arrested by age 23. According to the latest study, 30.2% of young people will be arrested by that age. Criminologist Alfred Blumstein says the increase in arrests for young people in the latest study is unsurprising given several decades of tough crime policies. The high rate of arrests among youth is troubling because the records will follow them as adults and make it harder for them to get student loans, jobs and housing, says Kurlychek, an associate professor at University at Albany-SUNY who studies juvenile delinquency. "Arrests have worse consequences than ever for these juveniles," she says. "Arrest records follow you forever. The average teenager who steals an iPod or is arrested for possession of marijuana - why do we make that define their lives?"

Advanced Performance Learning Specialists’ aim is to end this trend. Founder, President & CEO, Michael A. Waddell spent most of his life studying this issue and has developed a highly unique and effective program, "Afelo De Se", which translates as “no crimes against self” and has found encouraging evidence that when fully applied, ratios of youth arrests decrease dramatically. Committing no crimes against self equals the inability to commit crimes against others.