Mayor's Blue Ribbon Crime Prevention Committee

Recommendations to Address Crime Issues

• Expand Peacekeepers Program, School Resource Officers for K-8 and reinstitute GREAT (Gang Resistance Program) for K-8
• Support bond measure for jail expansion and organize a committee to put on a special election ballot and support the County in engaging with other cities
• Create more Probation Officers
• Ask school districts to pay for half of Student Resource Officers (SRO’s)
• Utilize faith-based institutions to focus on intervention/prevention services and for rehabilitation support
• Recognize need for more transitional housing
• Job creation with private sector, including jobs for those with criminal backgrounds
• Expand mental health and substance abuse programs
• Increase gang/drug/mental health outreach programs
• Create more opportunities for pre and post release vocational training
• Expand “Hope’s Angels” Program in schools
• Enhance vocational education programs
• The Beyond Incarceration Program
  • Create separate facilities for volunteers in program
  • Develop Children of Incarcerated Parents Program that identifies at-risk youth and their parents and brings them into program
  • Establish working relationship with Gospel Center Rescue Mission
• Create “storefront” Police stations in community centers
• Increase after school programs (on & off campus)
• Establish mentoring programs and support groups
• Increase street lighting and security cameras
• Provide services to released individuals
• Support “Jail Needs Assessment” (findings currently being conducted)
• Evaluate and expand duplicate programs of non-profit agencies, service organizations, schools, all Chambers of Commerce, private corporations)
• Create public awareness of our existing jail facility (get local Government channels to air a “virtual tour” of the jail)
• Expand the concept of the Youth Leadership Academy
• Resolve transportation issues to allow youth better access to community centers, City services and recreational activities
• Make skill assessment prior to releasing individuals
• Get juveniles to work with Beyond Incarceration
• Evaluate how to make detention a valuable tool for intervention
• Expand truancy/curfew program; examine curriculum and lengthening school hours
• Institute “Rites of Passage” Program to promote self sufficiency
• Track released individuals
• Get school districts to focus on “Small Learning Communities”