Mandatory national service at age 18. Male, female; rich, poor; rural, urban; citizen, resident alien; accommodated impaired, non-impaired. If you live in the United States and enjoy the benefits and protections afforded those who live here, you will take your fair turn at participating in national service.
Military service option would provide fast track to citizenship. Non-military options would include service in national parks, veterans hospitals, inner-city schools, Peace Corps, wherever there was a national interest need which could be addressed by young adults learning from each other while working together toward a shared goal. Costs offset by savings in military recruitment costs and reduction in law enforcement, judicial, and incarceration expenses. Benefits to the nation would include more well-rounded citizens; exposure of the young ‘elite’ to the lives and needs of the majority of citizens, realization of interdependence, and – one would hope – greater citizen involvement in government. Benefits to the individuals would include income (albeit not great), security, and gained maturity on which to base better life decisions. Please see The Corporation for National & Community Service for general background and the Universal National Service Act for specific legislative proposals for mandatory national service.
I found the below study while researching for a position paper on national service. Forget the paper idea. The study does a better job than I could.