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Youth Directory

 
 

Youth Violence Prevention Project

 

Overview of Components

Crime Prevention:

The establishment of a Youth Empowerment Center in each targeted area that provides activities and services to youth ages 13-18, including after school programs and activities, tutoring/mentoring, job training for in school and out of school youth, information on resources, gang prevention outreach, parenting classes, employment  services, Safe Schools Programs and transportation.

Law Enforcement:

The law enforcement strategies are:

    1. Provide training for all law enforcement agencies on the collection of evidence by standardization of evidence collection policies, procedures and training
    2. Utilization of the newer technology “license plate recognition cameras”  in each of the targeted areas
    3. Community oriented police officer in each targeted area
    4. Ad campaigns utilizing bus shelters and billboards to assist in cold case investigations, provide crime prevention tips, and to make people aware of the penalties for gun crimes
    5. Gun safety programs, including working with gun dealers to better secure the firearms
    6. Multi-Agency Task Forces
      1. Violent Crimes Task Force
      2. Joint operations with Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Courts:

The strategies for the Courts component are designed to divert youth from the juvenile justice system and provide the judiciary with additional sanctions. Extend Youth Court within each targeted area. Aggression Replacement Therapy (ART) established as a specialized program for violent juvenile offenders. ART provides an alternative treatment program to stem the violence at an earlier age. Initiate judicial training on ways to involve the parents more in the judicial process to reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Fund new prosecutor to handle all gun crimes to work with law enforcement on the prosecution of gun crimes.

Corrections:

Establish a Justice Service Center in each targeted area to provide assistance to juvenile and adult offenders. The Justice Service Center provides services either on-site or through referrals.  These services include employment, substance abuse, mental health, legal assistance, re-entry assistance, life skills, and probation sanction assistance. Youth Empowerment Centers and Justice Service Centers in the five targeted areas would incorporate all four components of the plan.

 

Contact Us

 
Criminal Justice Commission
301 North Olive Avenue, Suite 1001
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: 561-355-4943
Fax: 561-355-4941

E-mail: mlrodrig@pbcgov.com