AUGUSTA (AP) – Maine’s child poverty rate was on the rise even before the national economic downturn, but young people in the state are less likely to engage in risky behavior, a report says.

The 15th annual Kids’ Count report is to be presented to Gov. John Baldacci on Tuesday. It says the percentage of Maine children under age 5 who live in poverty, as defined by federal standards, rose from 20 percent in 2005 to 21.4 percent in 2006. For children under 18, the poverty rate rose from 16.7 percent to 16.9 percent.

The report is to be presented to Baldacci, first lady Karen Baldacci and legislative leaders. It draws from state and federal databases for the latest statistics available, said Elinor Goldberg, president of the Maine Children’s Alliance. It is funded by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The report also says:

• The smoking rate for high school students was 14 percent in Maine in 2007, compared with 20 percent nationally

• The rate of young people who reported drinking alcohol before age 13 fell from 18.2 percent in 2005 to 15.4 percent in 2007

• The arrest rate for children ages 10-17 fell from 88.2 arrests per 1,000 children in 1997 to 51.1 arrests in 2007

• An average of 6 percent of Maine children had no health insurance between 2004-07, compared with a national average of 12 percent for the same years.