A survey of major United States cities assessed the severity of youth unemployment problems and effects that cuts in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) will have on those problems. Information was received from 125 cities (72%). Three of four cities reported overall youth unemployment rates of 11-30%. Minority youth unemployment rates were higher than the overall rates, averaging almost 40%. Ninety-one percent of the cities reported that SYEP allocations for the summer were below those received the previous one. Almost 90% of the cities planned to serve fewer youth. Eighty-six percent of the cities did not anticipate any other public funds to compensate for SYEP losses. Cities estimated that over half of all eligible youths would remain unserved in summer 1982. Two of three cities indicated youth served will experience effects of funding cuts. Over half of all cities feared increased youth crime as a result of SYEP reductions. One-fourth of local officials believed that summer unemployment problems would increase the number of school dropouts. Over 80% of the cities believed proposals to shift program responsibility to the state level would produce adverse effects. (A list of the survey cities and the survey are appended.) (YLB)