Letter From the Director

The start of the current school year was marred with tragedies of school violence once again, affecting youth and communities in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. I, like many citizens nationwide, was deeply affected by these incidents. There is no single answer as to why this brutality continues to occur. However, there is a consensus that comprehensive school, law enforcement, and community strategies help to intervene and reduce risk factors for school violence.

The U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs, and CCDO are responding to this continuing issue through a variety of ongoing resources and strategies, including Project Safe Neighborhoods, School Resource Officers, School Safety Planning, Environmental Design, and other initiatives.

Assisting our communities to prevent crime and increase community safety is at the heart of the Weed and Seed strategy. And at the heart of every Weed and Seed site is its Safe Haven. Each Weed and Seed Safe Haven serves as the nucleus of a Weed and Seed community, offering citizens and youth an array of preventive services and programs that build, strengthen, and sustain public safety and self-sufficiency.

Community interventions—including public safety programs, antigang initiatives, mentoring, after-school enrichment activities, community policing strategies, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—all contribute to a unified and integrated approach to protecting our children.

I would encourage Weed and Seed sites to review the status of local school safety plans and joint law enforcement/school agreements and protocols for critical incidents. Identify the role of Safe Havens in the broader school safety strategy. How can Weed and Seed strategies support and integrate with school safety plans? Is it time for a drill on your school safety plans? What more needs to be done?

Schools are statistically safer than any other environment for children, and school violence is down dramatically from a decade ago. But there is always more that can be done. I ask everyone to work together to make this a safe year for kids and for all of us.

Sincerely,

Dennis E. Greenhouse
Director
Community Capacity Development Office

Letter From the U.S. Attorney

Nowhere are the effects of violent crime and drug offenses more devastating than on American Indian reservations. Individuals who commit these crimes jeopardize public safety in Indian communities, often targeting victims who are among the most vulnerable members of our society. They also threaten the rich indigenous culture of a proud native population. The price these crimes exact is most certainly high, but a failure to make Indian communities safer now and in the future represents an even higher cost.

The District of South Dakota includes nine Indian reservations, and stemming the spread of violent crime and drug offenses in Indian communities is an urgent priority of the U.S. Attorney's Office. We have developed a strategy designed to obtain appropriate criminal liability for offenders and to make our reservations safer places to live. The effort involves many distinct components and depends on the invaluable contributions of tribal leaders and governments together with federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

South Dakota's Project Safe Neighborhoods program includes a plan specifically tailored to take the antigun message to South Dakota's nine reservations. The plan features two goals: educate state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers about federal firearms laws, and educate Native American youth about the dangers and consequences of gun violence. We are fortunate to have had great success on both fronts. Through research conducted alongside our training efforts, we have seen a dramatic increase in the familiarity with federal firearms laws among all officers. We used Indian youth focus groups to tell young people on the reservations about gun violence and created effective classroom presentations for middle and high school students across the district. Educating youth has also included the creation of the North Star Leadership Course, which is directed at youth who are at high risk of committing violent crimes in the future. The course teaches 10–12 students at a time—half of whom must be Native American—about the long-term consequences of violent criminal behavior and the benefit of establishing positive goals for their future.

One of the best examples of the ongoing effort to improve the lives of people who live on Indian reservations is our work with the Public Housing Safety Initiative (PHSI). In 2004, South Dakota received a $600,000 PHSI grant which is currently being used on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation to increase law enforcement efforts and to prevent violent crime and drug offenses by enhancing the lives of young people.

The Rosebud Reservation generally encompasses Todd County, which represents the fifth poorest county in the nation. However, the Rosebud Tribal Police Department has a reputation for making the most of its scarce resources, and most of the grant's $400,000 allotment for increased law enforcement is being used to fund additional law enforcement resources aimed at investigating violent crime and drug offenses in the individual communities of the reservation.

The remaining $200,000 is being spent to help ensure the continued success of the Boys & Girls Club in Mission, one of the reservation's larger communities. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe deserves a great deal of credit for starting the club. Prior to the availability of grant money, the tribe purchased an old bowling alley and converted it into a Boys & Girls Club complete with a national charter. The PHSI money pays for key staffing, including a director, and programming aimed at drug-free living, wellness, and fun. The Boys & Girls Club has become a success, and we hope the tribal community will continue to support and embrace it. It is a place where young people can go to spend time, play games, do their homework, and relax in a safe environment. I have personally visited the Boys & Girls Club and experienced firsthand the community's enthusiasm as well as the potential for continued success.

Our law enforcement community coordinator heads up the grant's administration and frequently travels to Mission. He described a winter evening visit to the Boys & Girls Club when the furnace stopped working. Despite the falling temperature, young people continued to crowd into the building. One little girl told him that she wanted to stay at the Boys & Girls Club as long as possible because of the difficult environment she faced at home. The comment is haunting, but it confirms the efficacy of our combined efforts. It also reminds us of the urgent need to provide the young people living on South Dakota's Indian reservations with fair opportunities to grow up in safe, healthy communities in order to help them realize their enormous potential.

In addition, for each of the nine reservations, our office has designated one Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) to serve as the primary prosecutor for offenses that occur there. This AUSA quickly becomes the primary point of contact for law enforcement officials and tribal leaders as well as a key member of the reservation's multidisciplinary team (MDT). Each reservation's MDT features a cross-section of professionals that generally includes tribal law enforcement officials, victim assistance specialists, South Dakota Department of Social Services representatives, mental health professionals, and federal law enforcement agents. The MDTs meet monthly and discuss ongoing criminal investigations, often focusing on offenses involving sexual abuse. The MDTs foster critical relationships among their members and provide a single forum for sharing information and ideas—all directed at combating violent crime in Indian Country and producing successful prosecutions.

Victims of violent crime occurring on Indian reservations, in many instances, have a particularly keen need for effective victim support services. Their assailants are often family members or friends from their small, close reservation communities. Their needs range from the practical logistics of travel and meals during a trial to the need for medical and emotional assistance or, sometimes, physical safety. Our office's victim assistance professionals are among the best in the country, and our efforts to impose criminal liability upon those who harm victims would not be successful without their help.

I am, of course, proud of our office's efforts to make South Dakota's Indian reservations safer places to live, but we have much more to do. I am heartened by the dedication and commitment of our federal, state, and tribal partners, and I believe that our concerted efforts will continue to make a real difference in improving people's lives by providing them with the essential conditions of safety and security.

Marty J. Jackley
U.S. Attorney
District of South Dakota

Law Enforcement

Modeled after successful Weed and Seed efforts and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the U.S. Attorney-directed Public Housing Safety Initiative (PHSI) seeks to improve conditions for low-income housing tenants suffering high rates of violent crime and illicit drug and firearm distribution.

In 2004 and 2005, CCDO selected 19 sites throughout the country to participate in PHSI and offered each site $400,000 for law enforcement assistance and $200,000 for community intervention efforts. Cooperation among all levels of law enforcement, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations made this major federal initiative possible. An agreement between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Public and Indian Housing, and the Office of Justice Programs made nearly $18 million available for PHSI.

“PHSI believes in the premise that strong communities are built on strong interactions between law enforcement and community leaders, and there should be no exception to this in public housing communities,” said CCDO Director Dennis Greenhouse. “The PHSI effort is changing these communities for the better.”

Partnerships for Public Safety
The initiative generated hundreds of federal indictments, disrupted gang networks, and took vast quantities of narcotics and guns off the streets in and around public housing with the help of U.S. Attorneys, local police departments, and federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Marshals Service. Local and federal authorities divided responsibilities according to expertise and capacity to maximize program results.

In Chicago, federal agencies coordinated counter-gang operations while the Chicago Police Department (CPD) contributed local informants, onsite intelligence, and the manpower to execute PHSI operations.

In Philadelphia, stakeholders leveraged a $2 million contribution from ATF. Such a large contribution on top of $600,000 in PHSI funds was made possible through the strong cooperation that had already existed among federal partners in the city.

“This grant is an investment in the community,” said Pat Meehan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “And while it will have an immediate, tangible impact, we hope it will represent part of a long-term solution to prevent crime and violence.”

The task force of the Office of National Drug Control Policy's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, apprehended four mid- to upper-level drug dealers. In addition to helping to apprehend criminals, the Housing Authority dedicated $750,000 to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, a proven approach based on the belief that effectively designed communities will experience fewer criminal incidents and less fear of crime.

Fighting Crime With Technology
Some PHSI sites turn to technology to gain the edge on criminals. In Jordan Downs, a public housing apartment complex in the Watts section of Los Angeles, PHSI organizers turned an ambitious idea into a million-dollar collaboration. The electronics company Motorola donated fixed cameras, DVD camcorders, and night vision goggles to the department. Los Angeles is installing cameras in the neighborhood to create “safe corridors” for children going to and from school, and initial surveys indicate overwhelming community support for their installation. Patrol cars will receive transmissions from these cameras so police can assess the incident scene before they approach. The LAPD also plans to use face and license plate recognition devices to enforce a city injunction against the Grape Street Crips, a criminal street gang with a history of intimidating and terrorizing residents.

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Western Missouri also put technology to use with i2 Investigative Analysis Software, which allows investigators to construct “criminal family trees” to help judges, juries, and prosecutors visualize the complex criminal organization of street gangs. These technologies have improved law enforcement's ability to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders.

Improving Quality of Life
PHSI goes beyond the paradigm of arrest and prosecution by mobilizing law enforcement to improve overall quality of life for tenants. A top priority for local officers in Kansas City was evicting repeat criminal offenders and squatters from housing. They trained property managers to proactively address physical dilapidation, unruly or criminal tenants, and public nuisances in housing projects. In places where trainings took place, calls for police service declined 10 percent, and burglaries and reports of suspicious activity declined 12 percent. Police also pressured property managers to enforce rental contracts and to bring the housing into code compliance by installing new screens, deadbolts, and extra security lighting.

In cities such as Chicago, PHSI is helping local police and federal agents stage large-scale drug “take-down” operations that disrupt the gangs' drug enterprises and allow communities to reclaim their streets and public spaces. On the grounds of a public housing complex known as The Square, dealers ran a round-the-clock open-air drug market that earned $5 million each year. But in May, 58 individuals were arrested for their involvement in the drug trade through a joint CPD-FBI operation. A similar operation in June netted another 40 arrests. As a result, “kids are out playing in the playground and older people are out on their porches,” said Terra Brown, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

Community Policing and Relations
Relationships with the community play an ever-increasing role in fighting crime. A daily police presence reduces residents' fears about reporting crimes and assisting police. PHSI strongly reinforces the need for cooperation among law enforcement, community members, and local organizations.

To help build and maintain ties with public housing residents, the Santa Clara Police in New Mexico initiated knock-and-talk operations and distributed pamphlets and refrigerator magnets with an antidrug message and the police telephone number.

“The residents that we contacted were very receptive and appreciated the presence of our officers in this nonthreatening community-oriented policing activity,” stated Santa Clara Police Chief James Baca.

Strengthening community programming continues to be a major goal under PHSI. In New Mexico, the local Boys & Girls Club, social service providers, law enforcement, and cultural representatives from the Pueblo Tribe joined forces to provide gang, violence, and substance abuse prevention education to a vast tribal audience.

Conclusion
Throughout 20 cities spanning from Miami to Seattle, PHSI gives communities a chance to take back their public spaces, reduce violent crime, and improve daily living conditions for public housing tenants. U.S. Attorney leadership allows PHSI to continue to achieve its goals. U.S. Attorneys lead by inclusion and bring an array of federal, local, and community decisionmakers to the table. The collaborative aspect of PHSI allows programs to endure long after the last PHSI grant dollar has been spent.

Office of Communications Interns Alexander Maugeri and John Yi provided research and writing for this article.

For more information, contact:
Sonia Klukas
Community Partnerships Outreach Officer
sonia.klukas@usdoj.gov

Officers, Community Leader Receive Sloan Award of Valor

The Weed and Seed Sloan Award of Valor honors local law enforcement officers and community leaders whose legacies in Weed and Seed sites have affected designated neighborhoods across the country.

The honor is given posthumously to those officers and leaders who gave of themselves just as Officer Nicholas Sloan did. On January 30, 2004, Officer Sloan of St. Louis, MO, was killed in the line of duty as he tried to protect his community. Officer Sloan had always done extraordinary work in the community, particularly with the local Weed and Seed site.

The Sloan Award of Valor is presented every 2 years at CCDO's Law Enforcement Conference by the CCDO Director. The recipients in 2006 were Officer Johnny Pun, Betty Ballanger, Detective LaVern Brann, and Officer Timothy “Jake” Laird. Read about their contributions to Weed and Seed sites below.

Officer Johnny Pun
Delray Beach Police Department
Delray Beach, FL

Jean-Albert “Johnny” Pun served 14 years with the Delray Beach Police Department in southern Florida. As a Field Training Officer, he was instrumental in teaching new cadets to be good officers. He also facilitated workshops in cultural diversity for the department, helped to form the first Haitian Citizens' Police Academy, and translated courses into Creole for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), a program that trains community members how to respond in emergencies. In addition, he was an instructor for the DARE, GREAT, and DEFY programs, during which he helped teach youth from the Weed and Seed neighborhood.

In an unprecedented action, Officer Pun engaged young gang members in dialogues to help them become lifelong learners, productive workers, and self-sufficient individuals. As a result, after countless hours and a lot of dedication, Officer Pun cofounded the Delray Youth Vocational Charter School (DYVCS) to serve disadvantaged youth from the Weed and Seed target area. Through this program, Officer Pun became the driving force in the lives of countless youth. DYVCS recently received the 2006 Muehlenbeck Award of Excellence from the Innovation Group.

Officer Pun was killed in a motor vehicle accident on September 10, 2005, but his legacy lives on through the lives that DYVSC helps to rescue. Community residents say Officer Pun never gave up, never stopped caring, and never stopped smiling.

Community Leader Betty Ballanger
Sunnyslope Weed and Seed
Phoenix, AZ

As a resident of Phoenix, AZ, for 46 years, Betty Ballanger was the quintessential neighborhood activist in the Sunnyslope area. She fought crime, blight, graffiti, and a lack of after-school programs in her attempts to improve the neighborhood. When she learned of children who returned each day to empty homes and went to bed hungry, Ballanger started the New Northtown After School Children's Program. The initiative gave latchkey children a safe place to stay each afternoon, and it later expanded to include summer vacations. She was at the school every day for more than a decade and took enormous pride in students' achievements. Ballanger also became involved with the New Northtown Neighborhood Fight Back program, a neighborhood improvement program. She considered graffiti a personal affront and was well-known for carrying paint supplies wherever she went, always ready to stop at the side of the road and climb a wall or crawl under a bridge to paint over offensive graffiti.

In recognition of Ballanger's tremendous efforts, the city named a neighborhood after her and her late husband Paul: Ballanger Heights. The couple also received the coveted Hon Kachina Award, an annual state award that recognizes exemplary volunteer community service. Ballanger was a strong supporter of the Weed and Seed strategy, and her legacy of community service and leadership lives on in the Sunnyslope Weed and Seed community.

Detective LaVern Brann
Battle Creek Police Department
Battle Creek, MI

Throughout his career, Detective LaVern Brann worked tirelessly to make the streets of Battle Creek a safe place for its residents—particularly for its children. During his assignment with the Battle Creek Police Department's Special Investigations Unit, Detective Brann worked closely with federal and state law enforcement to eradicate drugs and violent crime in Battle Creek, with a focus on the area known as Washington Heights, a particularly impoverished and crime-plagued part of the city. The detective's efforts led to successful federal prosecutions of more than 25 drug distributors from that area, many of whom were also involved in violent crimes. He also spent a considerable amount of time investigating child sexual assault cases, which ultimately led to a number of successful prosecutions.

Detective Brann received a number of awards throughout his career, including the American Red Cross Law Enforcement Award. His fellow police officers recognized his outstanding service to the community with 11 unit citations, 5 professional excellence citations, 2 letters of commendation, and the department's 2002 Police Officer of the Year award.

On May 9, 2005, Detective Brann was killed in the line of duty while attempting to stop a homicide suspect from fleeing. As he did in the efforts that led to his death, Detective Brann showed extreme bravery throughout his career. He left a legacy of courage and compassion for others in the community to follow.

Officer Timothy “Jake” Laird
Indianapolis Police Department
Southeast Umbrella Organization (SUMO) Weed and Seed
Indianapolis, IN

Officer Timothy “Jake” Laird, a patrol officer in the Indianapolis Police Department's South District, was well-respected and well-liked by coworkers and community residents alike. He loved the community he served, and he died while working to make it a safer place to live.

Officer Laird was killed on August 18, 2004, when he responded to numerous 911 calls about gunfire on the south side of Indianapolis. The shooter was a troubled man who suffered from schizophrenia and had not been taking his prescribed medication. In addition to killing Officer Laird, the suspect wounded several officers during his shooting spree, which led the Indiana State Senate to later pass a measure designed to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of mentally ill individuals in a vote of 48 to 1. The Timothy “Jake” Laird Bill (House Bill 1776) allows law enforcement officers to seize a firearm possessed by an individual whom the officer reasonably believes to be dangerous.

Officer Laird's badge and car number were retired after his death, and the chief of police posthumously awarded him the Indianapolis Police Department's Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. Officer Laird's funeral was followed by a procession of more than 500 squad cars in a line that extended more than 7 miles, and hundreds of well-wishers gathered along the route. At the grave site, more than 700 uniformed law enforcement officers and 150 family members paid their final respects in honor of his legacy.

Resources

Reducing Meth Traffic to the United States
Synthetic Drug Control Strategy: A Focus on Methamphetamine and Prescription Drug Abuse details the cooperation between the United States, Mexico, and other international partners to reduce the entry of methamphetamine and its precursor chemicals into the United States. Other goals include reducing methamphetamine use and prescription drug abuse by 15 percent and reducing domestic meth labs by 25 percent.
View it on the Web: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/synthetic_drg_control_strat/synth_strat.pdf

Tracking Police Use of Force
Citizen Complaints about Police Use of Force presents data that are received by large state and local law enforcement agencies and on complaint dispositions. It also presents information on the policies and procedures of large municipal police departments relating to the processing of citizen complaints and other administrative features.
View it on the Web: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ccpuf.pdf

Reviewing Justice Initiatives
NIJ Journal 254 features articles on a wide range of topics, beginning with a look at the Body Armor Safety Initiative. Other articles address suicide terrorism, methamphetamine abuse, iris recognition programs, changes in rape reporting, and the use of digital evidence in policing.
View it on the Web: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/jr000254.pdf

Surveying Youth in Gangs
National Youth Gang Survey: 1999–2001 summarizes data from a representative sample of law enforcement agencies to provide results from the 1999, 2000, and 2001 surveys and, when available, preliminary results from the 2002 survey.
View it on the Web: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/209392.pdf

Community Policing

Problem-Oriented Policing Takes Root in Athens

Imagine a successful, proactive police department, one that involves all levels of law enforcement management and strong community leadership.

The police force in Athens, GA, does more than imagine it—they practice it. The Athens-Clarke County Weed and Seed target areas are using the philosophical foundation of Weed and Seed and problem-oriented policing to increase the safety of their communities. Their countywide crime reduction strategy is called Community Oriented Policing Problem Solving (COPPS), and it engages public and private agencies in addition to community members.

After he was named Chief of Police in 1997, Chief Joseph H. Lumpkin, Sr., commenced the cultural change to COPPS and established the Lieutenant-Managed Neighborhood Protection Program. The program designated every officer as the chief of his or her beat or zone, and that officer is responsible for quality of life issues and crime reduction efforts for that defined section. An operational sergeant and lieutenant are assigned to each zone to provide direction and resources to zone officers. Members of each problem-solving team attend Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch, and community meetings in an effort to partner with the community on crime reduction strategies.

Perhaps one of COPPS' most important features is its constant evaluation of the strategies employed during policing. Using CompStat, a computer-driven management accountability process, police can immediately track crime, put police resources in high-crime areas, and maintain steady followup on activity. The system also allows for the timely dissemination of reliable information. Lieutenants and sergeants on each beat ensure that the crimes detailed in incident reports are titled and classified correctly and that victims are encouraged to report crimes.

The Athens-Clarke County Weed and Seed target area is made up of four lieutenant-managed police zones. CompStat shows where crime is occurring on a daily basis and can help police reassign manpower as needed, and current crime statistics illustrate the system's success. In 2005, violent crimes were reduced in all zones, some by more than 50 percent. Property crime also fell in all zones. In fact, area police have achieved 9 consecutive years of countywide crime reduction, led by the reduction in the Weed and Seed areas.

The accountability element of COPPS requires that all lieutenants report on their problem-solving activities, and neighborhood leaders share the responsibility for creative crime reduction ideas.

“It's changing the whole culture,” said Terrie Patterson, the Weed and Seed site coordinator. Patterson finds that information sharing is extremely helpful, and community participation is critical.

“It's not just the responsibility of the police to prevent and solve crimes,” she said. “You have to get the whole community involved. There exist good people in every neighborhood, and you have to get the good people involved in improving their area with a mindset of shared responsibility.”

Community residents are more supportive as a result of personal involvement, Patterson explained, and they are proud when “their” police officers—who are known more for their foot patrols—show up at neighborhood association meetings.

COPPS recognizes that area police must establish trust with Weed and Seed residents and assist those citizens with a wide range of neighborhood challenges and problems—many of which are not traditional criminal justice issues—through discretion and problem-solving, interpersonal, and collaboration-building skills. Officers make concerted efforts to inform residents of their availability and involvement. They attend neighborhood meetings and offer their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses. In return, the community recognizes the value of having a police presence in the neighborhood and law enforcement's willingness and ability to solve problems and improve residents' quality of life.

Patterson explained that officers often have to go the extra mile to show the public that they care and are willing to work with the community. For instance, when residents in a public housing project were frustrated with the police and some threw rocks at a cruiser, the police responded not only in force as law enforcement officers, but later with Santa Cop, an officer who dressed up as Santa Claus, brought presents, and spent time with the residents.

“The whole community saw that the police were trying to make the community safer and [show] that they care,” Patterson said. “They added the human side of enforcement.”

For more information, contact:
Terrie Patterson
Athens-Clarke Weed and Seed Site Coordinator
tpatterson@co.clarke.ga.us

Officers Receive First Connor Public Service Awards

The Michael K. Connor Public Service Award was established by CCDO to pay tribute to the memory and achievements of its colleague, Michael K. Connor, for his outstanding efforts in promoting law enforcement cooperation and coordination in Weed and Seed efforts. The award honors law enforcement officers for their professional achievements and contributions through public and community service and for their exemplary leadership and outstanding service on behalf of Weed and Seed sites.

CCDO presented the awards at the 2006 Law Enforcement Conference last August, and future awards also will be presented at this biennial event. The 2006 Honorees of the Michael K. Connor Public Service Award are Capt. Philip Kennedy; Chief Joseph H. Lumpkin, Sr.; Lt. Jay Freeman; and Lt. Marshall Depew. Read about their contributions to the Weed and Seed initiative below.

Capt. Philip Kennedy
New Britain Police Department
New Britain Weed and Seed Site
New Britain, CT

As part of the New Britain Police Department, Capt. Philip Kennedy's contributions to the Weed and Seed initiative have been not only in law enforcement and community policing initiatives, but also in prevention, intervention, and treatment and neighborhood restoration. He is responsible for many site accomplishments, including enhancing law enforcement activities and reviewing gun cases for possible federal prosecution as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. The captain ensures that police are present at all community meetings and helps establish area activities. Through a number of initiatives, he has played a significant and active role in revitalizing the neighborhood and communicating with area youth.

Captain Kennedy coordinated the Multiple Agency Response to Community Hot Spots Program to target blighted properties for repair within the Weed and Seed neighborhoods. Property owners were called to the sites and given a list of violations from each city agency, which allowed the state to pursue unresponsive landlords through civil litigation. As part of the Connecticut Nuisance Abatement Program, Captain Kennedy helped hold negligent landlords accountable for crimes that occurred on their properties, and he implemented several Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design practices. In addition, he coordinated the Spring Fling Initiative, which targeted drug-related crimes and prostitution and led to 100 arrests.

Along with his extensive work in the neighborhood, Captain Kennedy also helped create many of the activities now available to area youth. He was responsible for the partnership between law enforcement and a local university that resulted in the Central in the City summer youth program on the university campus. He also played an active role in a successful youth bike program, and he encouraged fellow officers to become involved as well. He worked with volunteers and youth to refurbish a space in a city building and convert it into a retail bike shop. Captain Kennedy also established the site's DEFY program and has helped more than 150 children stay away from drugs. Under Captain Kennedy's leadership, communication between police officers and youth has been greatly enhanced.

Chief Joseph H. Lumpkin, Sr.
Athens-Clarke County Police Department
Athens/Hancock Corridor Weed and Seed Site
Athens-Clarke County, GA

Chief Joseph H. Lumpkin, Sr., is credited for much of Weed and Seed's success in the Athens/Hancock Corridor site as a result of his vision, commitment, and tireless efforts. His planning and dedication have resulted in sustained crime reductions, rising property values, substantial increases in first-time home ownership by minorities with low to moderate incomes, and continuing efforts to support the youth of the community.

Chief Lumpkin integrated Weed and Seed concepts into the police department's daily operations—training the entire department in community-oriented policing, incorporating additional training into the examination process, and providing training for departmental supervisors and managers in problem-oriented policing. He helped improve the infrastructure of the Weed and Seed sites and ensured that each site had its own police substation. He also requires that his officers attend neighborhood watch meetings, social organization meetings, business owners' meetings, and school functions. Since he was named Chief of Police, the sites have seen a 48-percent decrease in violent crime and a 31-percent decrease in property crime. Chief Lumpkin also plays a more hands-on role with area youth; he reads to and tutors students in the community's elementary and middle schools.

Lt. Jay Freeman
Oklahoma City Police Department
Oklahoma City-Classen Ten Penn Weed and Seed Site
Oklahoma City, OK

In 2004, Lt. Jay Freeman developed a law enforcement response to drive-by shootings in the Oklahoma City-Classen Ten Penn Weed and Seed site, which resulted in a complete cessation of shootings within 3 months. He also worked to create a graffiti removal program. With the assistance of the Oklahoma City Police Department's Graffiti Removal Van—equipped with police radio and amber lights—more than 1,400 locations have been repainted since August 2004. More than 700 sites have been painted a second time with the help of 454 court-ordered community service workers. Lieutenant Freeman's enhanced enforcement efforts have led to a large decrease in Part I crimes.

In 2005, he was instrumental in getting a Dell Computer Call Center built in the Weed and Seed target area, an establishment that will ultimately employ 4,500 people. The lieutenant also created a local law enforcement award that is presented to officers who have demonstrated their commitment to Weed and Seed through extraordinary policing efforts.

Lieutenant Freeman has a personal connection with the community. He attends several monthly neighborhood meetings to provide crime statistics and prevention tips to residents and to listen to the issues they face. He personally follows up on each concern. Lieutenant Freeman also teaches area residents the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and helps them identify areas of their homes and property that could benefit from the application of these principles. Lieutenant Freeman also makes a special effort to reach out to the Hispanic community. He arranged for Univision to ride along with overtime Hispanic Weed and Seed officers, and he helped develop burglary prevention tip sheets in Spanish.

Lt. Marshall Depew
Indianapolis Police Department
Westside Weed and Seed Site
Indianapolis, IN

Lt. Marshall Depew established the Neighborhood Resource Officer (NRO) Unit within the Indianapolis Police Department. In its first year of operation, NRO made 700 arrests in the Westside community; as a result, the Weed and Seed site in the “murder corner of Indianapolis ” went 10 months without a homicide. Lieutenant Depew and his team focused on low-level crimes and built a relationship of trust with local residents. The lieutenant and his officers also participate in neighborhood cleanup and restoration activities. They organize youth programs within the site—including bike rodeos, basketball challenges, a Clothe-a-Child drive, and more—and operate a Community Appreciation Day.

Lieutenant Depew employed many different tactics to ensure safety in the neighborhoods, including probation, home detention, prostitution, parole, and nuisance abatement sweeps; undercover buys; and highway interdiction checkpoints. He works in a collaborative effort with federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Lieutenant Depew's district was the first to set up a crime hotline answered by officers. The lieutenant is an Indiana Certified Instructor for Police Training, and he uses the Weed and Seed philosophy in each course he teaches at the Indianapolis Police Academy.

Lieutenant Depew also is proud of Weed and Seed, which he demonstrates in part by driving the Weed and Seed van at neighborhood events and cochairing Westside's Weed Committee.

Resources

Working With Mentally Ill Individuals
People with Mental Illness describes the challenges police face when dealing with people who have mental illnesses. This essential guide helps law enforcement analyze local problems associated with people who have mental illnesses; it also reviews responses to these problems based on evaluative research and police practice.
View it on the Web: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1731

Exploring Community Policing
Community Policing for Mayors: A Municipal Service Model for Policing and Beyond discusses what community policing looks like in practice, how it integrates with traditional policing strategies, and how it relates to the broader government service model.
View it on the Web: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1758

Increasing Safety From Bullies
Developing an Anti-Bullying Program: Increasing Safety, Reducing Violence, the first in an online series of Best Practice Briefs written for law enforcement by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, features programs that effectively address critical juvenile issues.
View it on the Web: http://www.iacp.org/Training/bullyingbrief.pdf

Reducing Gun Violence
Reducing Gun Violence: Community Problem Solving in Atlanta examines the lessons learned from programming implemented during the late 1990s to reduce juvenile gun violence and describes the program's methods.
View it on the Web: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/209800.pdf

Prevention

There's nothing like teamwork, and Weed-and-Seeders know that “teamwork makes the dream work.”

It was the dream of New York's Buffalo Weed and Seed to make the Coalition for the Redevelopment of Unified Community Involvement And Leadership (CRUCIAL) Community Center—a Safe Haven—the best it could be. In October, the center celebrated two milestones: its completed renovation, and a visit from First Lady Laura Bush.

To use the center for community events and after-school programming and to help more people, West Seneca AmeriCorps, Home Depot, and Hands on America transformed the building from front to back. Workers painted the hall bright colors and completed several murals throughout the building, bringing fun and color to the community center.

The planning, developing, and implementing of the makeover was the result of a month of weekly meetings. With the help of community members, local high school students, and partnering organizations—including the African American Police Association, Stop the Violence Coalition, the City of Buffalo's Division of Citizen's Services, and the County of Erie—work began, and the building began to take on a new look and a new life.

Ten Home Depot stores from the region and the African American Police Association also helped refurbish the community center one room at a time. The gym was overhauled, with the addition of a mural and two new basketball courts.

The arts and crafts room looks like a completely new wing. The mural in this room was painted with the help of local high school students who were in trouble with school officials. They agreed to participate in the project, and some say that their room turned out the best.

After the renovation was complete and the dust was settling, a White House representative called to say that First Lady Laura Bush would be visiting. She arrived soon after in Buffalo and saw firsthand the new and improved center.

Mrs. Bush was then interviewed on the center's youth radio broadcasting program. The radio program helps youth gain experience in a professional field in which they are already very much interested. The disc jockeys are between 14 and 21 years old, but they know how to ask probing questions. Amber Bellamy, the DJ who interviewed the First Lady, asked Mrs. Bush about funding issues and her work with the Helping America's Youth initiative.

Mrs. Bush was traveling the country to promote the initiative, visiting with mentors and Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and checking out fatherhood initiatives and after-school, sports, and gang intervention programs. She praised CRUCIAL and the radio station, saying they are both “very important groups in the Buffalo area that help young people learn to make wise decisions for their lives, which is exactly the point of Helping America's Youth.”

Mrs. Bush urged young people to think about their lives and make a list of their goals. She suggested they get involved with Helping America's Youth (http://www.helpingamericasyouth.gov) and find the resources to help their communities.

Through CRUCIAL and these other programs, members of this Buffalo community center hope that youth will understand that no matter what they may be going through in life, there are people on all levels—from the White House to a neighbor's house—who care about them and are available to help them make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Thanks to the U.S. Attorney's Office, our CCDO Program Manager Joyce Bradford, and the staff at CRUCIAL, we were able to pull it all off with teamwork. Like a well-oiled machine, we did it and we did it the Weed and Seed way: working together to make it happen.

For more information, contact:
Antwan Diggs
Buffalo Weed and Seed Coordinator
adiggs@city-buffalo.com

For kids from around the Anderson, TN, Weed and Seed area, the acronym for the anti-gang camp could not be more apt.

The weeklong Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) summer day camps in July were the perfect way to help reach community policing and prevention, intervention, and treatment goals. More than 70 children—including attendees of the Safe Haven's after-school program and Anderson Elementary School's after-school mentoring groups—took part in the camps. G.R.E.A.T. camps are run with a mixture of education and fun, a combination that really works well.

The kids joined members of the Bristol Police Department's community policing unit, including Weed and Seed Community Policing Officer Grant Hale and Weed and Seed Steering Committee member Lt. Terry Napier, at the city's Steele Creek Park facilities. The mentoring coordinator and community outreach specialist also joined these children, whose ages ranged from 8 to 14. Each group consisted of two adult leaders and up to nine children.

The children ate both breakfast and lunch at camp. These meals, provided by the local U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrition program, gave each child a healthy start to the day. And every morning, one of the officers gave students a G.R.E.A.T. lesson in life skills to help them solve problems and avoid delinquent behavior and violence.

Several special guests also made appearances throughout the week. A K-9 unit dog named Nitro demonstrated with his partner, who gave both silent and verbal commands. The kids were astounded when the dog was sent to bring down a fleeing “suspect”—one of the officers with a thick pad around his arm. Nitro was quick to hunt down the suspect, and he held on until his partner gave the command to release.

In another demonstration, Sgt. Scott Mason of the National Guard's counter-drug unit presented the many dangers of using tobacco by displaying the damage smoking can do to the lungs and teeth.

“I wouldn't smoke it for sure,” said 10-year-old Trey Smith after the demonstration.

The kids also tried on goggles that simulate what it feels like to be under the influence of alcohol. They then attempted simple tasks such as picking up a dropped pen and walking in a straight line to experience the difficulties of performing these tasks while intoxicated. Of course, many were unable to maintain their balance.

The weeklong camp reinforced respect for others, and the kids gave back to the community by picking up trash around trails and shorelines at the park. Different activities were also available each day, including nature center tours, preparation for a group play, fishing, and paddleboat rides.

The nature center tour was one of the week's highlights, where participants saw native snakes, turtles, and all kinds of “creepy crawlies” up close. The bravest children even wore the snakes around their necks!

Another important activity was preparation for a group character play. Based on the theme “Staying Off Drugs,” the actors developed short plays that demonstrated ways to stay off drugs and presented them to the rest of the campers on the last day of camp.

“Such common summer activities aren't obvious tools for fighting gangs, but they're effective nonetheless,” said Napier. “For a lot of these kids, this is their summer vacation, so we try to have a fun environment.”

Activities children participated in during their free time were quite significant for some. They fished off a pier on the lake—something many of them had never done before—and they got very excited when they caught their first fish. The kids also used the paddleboats on the lake and staged races with other campers. There were also two field trips—one to the Belmont Lanes Bowling Alley, the other to Wetlands Water Park—and everyone enjoyed them.

The G.R.E.A.T. camp is a terrific way to build relationships between the community and the police department. Children learn so much while having fun, and they will remember these days for a long time, including the officers who were an integral part of each day. And, hopefully, camp participants will think twice before they ever consider doing something wrong.

For more information, contact:
Mary Butler
Anderson Weed and Seed Coordinator
mbutler@bristoltn.org

So many teens have nothing to do and are unproductive during the summer months—but teens in Reno, NV, are giving back.

Through the 4-week Respecting Our Community (R.O.C.) program, teens met and worked with others on service-learning projects that allowed them to educate residents about their neighborhoods and any problems the area may have. The teens then took active steps to help alleviate the problems.

The program was developed through a collaborative effort of Weed and Seed, the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, and Washoe County Juvenile Services. Information was distributed to schools, the Boys & Girls Club, and Juvenile Services to get teens involved. Teens who were required to complete community service were welcome to participate in the program, which grew steadily as more teens learned about it and wanted to get involved. About 25 teens are currently participating in the program, which has been expanded to include the school year.

Because hunger is an issue that affects a great number of people in the community, Evelyn Mount, founder of the Community Outreach Program and veteran anti-hunger activist, came to talk with program members about the number of families in need.

In one major project, entitled “Food Fight: Fighting Hunger in Washoe County,” participants met on Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. to decorate paper grocery bags with hunger statistics, persuasive messages, and illustrations. They attached a flier to each fully decorated bag that described how to make donations to the project. R.O.C. members distributed the bags to neighborhoods throughout the city and picked up the donated items the following week.

The Food Fight effort was very successful; in 3 weeks, program participants collected more than 800 nonperishable items and delivered them to a local community outreach food pantry for distribution to families in need.

The community is very appreciative of R.O.C. efforts, and many residents have called to express their thanks for the program. One local gentleman even expressed his gratitude by treating R.O.C. members to ice cream after they had delivered food bags one afternoon. Rather than letting them pay at the local sundae shop, the gentleman paid their bill, saying their service was “. . . a great thing for the community.”

After completing the Food Fight project, the teens began a project entitled, “Reno Reads: Literacy in Washoe County.” For this project, they researched literacy facts at the local library and learned how the library functions. They then obtained library cards and visited all seven Boys & Girls Clubs in the area to read to the younger children.

They also created bookmarks that highlight literacy facts, and will coordinate a communitywide book club. Through this club, R.O.C. members will encourage everyone in the community to read the same book and will provide opportunities for them to discuss it with others.

The R.O.C. program is a great opportunity for youth to get involved in their community. Whether they are completing required community service hours or participating because they simply want to get involved, teens are learning about the impact they have in the lives of those who live in their neighborhoods. The skills and lessons they learn through R.O.C. will be with them throughout their lives.

The program will continue through the school year so its youth can continue to address issues they feel are important to the community. First up, the teens plan to resume their “Food Fight” effort in time for the holidays.

For more information, contact:
Daphne Shaw
Reno Weed and Seed Director
dshaw@bgctm.org

Resources

Preventing Crime
Crime Prevention Publicity Campaigns shows how police agencies can help remove opportunities for individuals to engage in criminal behaviors by teaching the public to adopt better self-protection measures. It also explains how to warn offenders of increased police vigilance or improved police practices.
View it on the Web: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1740

Engaging Young Volunteers
Engaging Youth Through Volunteerism, a new 10-minute DVD by the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) Program, highlights the role youth and adult volunteers in law enforcement agencies can play in providing programming for and engaging youth in the community.
View it on the Web: http://www.policevolunteers.org/resources/VIPSvideos.cfm

Reporting the Latest in Crime Prevention
Prevention Works, the first national blog on crime prevention, features the latest news and ideas in crime prevention and offers an opportunity for discussion on a variety of topics. The National Crime Prevention Council runs the site.
View it on the Web: http://ncpc.typepad.com

Mentoring With a Faith-Based Approach
Positive Support: Mentoring and Depression Among High-Risk Youth, published by Public/Private Ventures, describes the impact of mentoring on high-risk youth and examines the benefits of matching such youth with faith-based mentors. The study draws on findings from the National Faith-Based Initiative.
View it on the Web: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/202_publication.pdf

Examining Substance Abuse in the U.S.
Substate Estimates from the 2002-2004 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, describes the rates at which underage individuals are binge drinking and provides data about alcohol and substance abuse for more than 340 substate areas representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
View it on the Web: http://oas.samhsa.gov/substate2k6/substate.pdf

Implementing Delinquency Prevention Plans
National Evaluation of the Title V Community Prevention Grants Program reviews the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Title V Program, which provides communities with a framework for developing and implementing comprehensive juvenile delinquency prevention plans. More than 1,500 communities have received Title V grants.
View it on the Web: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/212214.html

Preventing Meth Abuse
"Long-term Effects of Universal Preventive Interventions on Methamphetamine Use Among Adolescents" explains how prevention programs conducted in middle school can reduce methamphetamine abuse among rural adolescents years later. Adolescents who participated in these programs showed a reduction in lifetime and annual methamphetamine use.
Contact the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine to access the full publication: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org

New Government Meth Site
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new methamphetamine information site which includes two comprehensive educational presentations on methamphetamine, one specifically tailored to women. The site seeks to educate the general public about meth and how it is made, the effects of meth on users, and the dangers posed by meth to the community and the environment.
View it on the Web: http://www.usdoj.gov/methawareness/

Neighborhood Restoration

Home Ownership To Become Reality in Pine Bluff

Springtime is often when people dream of buying a home, but in Pine Bluff, AR, those dreams are becoming a reality.

In May 2006, members of Pine Bluff's graduated Weed and Seed site and the new Central Park Neighborhood site launched a home ownership project. Using individual development accounts (IDAs), participants are saving money regularly to buy a home. The project is part of CCDO and the Office of Community Services' IDA Demonstration Project which helps families move out of poverty.

The IDA project helps individuals and households build their assets and invest their money in the community. The site coordinator, Reverend Jesse C. Turner, explained that despite a lowering crime level and a heightening comfort level about living in the neighborhood, more residents rent than own homes within the sites.

“We have to build the integrity of the neighborhood,” Reverend Turner said. “[Homeowners] can become real stakeholders in the community, and that creates pride.”

Participants must deposit at least $20 each month into their IDAs, which are offered through the Southern Good Faith Fund of Pine Bluff. The organization's mission is to increase the incomes and assets of low-income and low-skilled residents of the Delta in Arkansas and Mississippi by offering unique and innovative programs that blend asset development, small business development, workforce development, and public policy activities. Participants must also complete a series of financial education courses that cover topics such as money management, credit management, and financial services. After participants reach their savings goals, usually in 2 to 3 years, their savings are matched with up to $2,000 for an individual and $4,000 for a household.

The reaction from the community has been positive, with a number of residents requesting more information about this opportunity. Carolyn Mance, a participant in the project, said, “I am very excited and look forward to buying my first new home.”

Reverend Turner has successfully involved the community in the project through partnerships with local businesses. When he approached Southeast Arkansas College, located outside one of the sites, representatives were eager to be part of the new project. Other partners include Simmons First National Bank, Pine Bluff National Bank, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's Economic Research and Development Department, the Community Enterprise Development Corporation, the Pine Bluff Housing Authority, and the Pine Bluff Economic and Community Development Department.

Nevertheless, Turner pointed out that obstacles remain. Weed and Seed areas are commonly perceived as crime ridden even after crime rates have decreased, and efforts need to be made to change this false perception. Many individuals also are not aware of this opportunity and do not believe they will ever own a home.

“We have to educate the community,” Turner said.

The IDA project is promoted through fliers, churches, and community events. A special promotion and marketing program is being planned to air on a local television and radio station.

To date, two individuals are working toward their savings goal and are planning to buy homes within the Weed and Seed sites. Ten applications to open IDAs are being processed, and the Southern Good Faith Fund anticipates handling a total of 25 accounts.

For more information, contact:
Rev. Jesse C. Turner
Pine Bluff Site Coordinator
pbicvr@aol.com
870-536-7274

When fighting in schools got out of hand, the Parent Patrol put things right.

Last fall, Vine City, GA, launched a public safety program to keep its schoolchildren safe and to involve their parents in school activities. The Vine City Civic Association (VCCA) Public Safety Committee organized a small group of parents from the neighborhood—dubbed the Parent Patrol—to monitor student activity and intervene at the sight of misconduct.

The patrol was started with a public safety grant offered through Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (formerly the Enterprise Foundation), an organization that supports affordable housing and community development by providing financial services to people with limited incomes. V olunteers were stationed around the perimeter of both John F. Kennedy Middle School and Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary. Now, residents say they have seen a drop in the occurrence of disorderly conduct committed by youth coming to and from school grounds.

“I have noticed many positive results with the presence of the Parent Patrol,” said Hazel Gonzalez, Director of the New Horizons Senior Center located across from John F. Kennedy Middle School. “The decrease in confrontational activity, youth using profanity, and the overall improvement in student behavior is very noticeable. Parent Patrol has given me a sense of security when opening up the gates each morning.”

Donald Harris, a Parent Patrol volunteer, also sees a change in the students.“It's good that we're out here, because kids will calm down when they see somebody with a neon green vest on and a radio. They get scared and they won't fight,” he said.

The Parent Patrol is not just a small project operating in a vacuum; the city also is instituting an overall safety initiative that is based on three strategies:

• Reduce the number of youth in the criminal justice system.
• Develop neighborhood sector leaders.
• Encourage community organizing and planning.

Currently, VCCA is working to fit the Parent Patrol program into a larger safety initiative at Kennedy Middle School. The association, with technical assistance from the Mayor's Office of Weed and Seed, is working closely with the school's principal, youth mentors, and the Atlanta Police Department and other agencies to create a dynamic program focused on better safety and crime prevention in schools. The Parent Patrol will play a key role in improving safety at the school.

Through revitalization, citizen participation, and neighborhood-based economic development, Vine City intends to return its Weed and Seed community to the safe and crime-free standard of living it once enjoyed.

“The Vine City Parent Patrol is the first step in creating a culture of safety,” said VCCA's Executive Director Byron Amos. “We are appreciative and proud to have Parent Patrol volunteers who are dedicated, determined, and dependable.”

In addition to wanting children to feel safe in all parts of the neighborhood—from the school to the parks to the stores—Amos wants the troublemakers to know the community is united in its effort to keep things safe.

“For the students who choose not to make good decisions, we want them to know that the community will hold them accountable, thereby reinforcing the culture of safety within Vine City.”

For more information, contact:
Karen Rogers
Director, Mayor's Office of Weed and Seed
kerogers@atlantaga.gov

Resources

Envisioning Community Criminal Justice Systems
Getting It Right: Collaborative Problem Solving for Criminal Justice discusses how to envision the type of criminal justice system a community wants, assessing current systems, and planning and implementing strategies to achieve desired outcomes.
View it on the Web: http://nicic.org/Downloads/PDF/Library/019834.pdf

Reentry

It's 5:30 a.m. at the Fifth District station of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., where community complaints about violence prompted an early-morning meeting.

Branch Chief Jody Tracy, with the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), called the meeting with her staff and police officers to discuss how warrants are served. CSOSA is the federal agency that provides probation and parole supervision in D.C.

“Our objective is to take noncompliant offenders off the street,” CSOSA Associate Director Tom Williams explained at the station. “For example, close to 300 offenders with outstanding warrants were arrested by D.C. police and CSOSA security staff at our offices during the first 6 months of the year. But we cannot pick up everyone when they make office visits. You've got to go out to their homes.”

At the Edgewood Terrace apartment complex in Northeast D.C., officers encounter enthusiastic residents who welcome the joint presence of police and CSOSA's community supervision officers (CSOs) when they arrive to serve warrants.

“Thank God you're here,” one resident says as he watches the officers go to work.

A mother holding a child nods approvingly when told that officers are searching for errant parolees and probationers. “The quicker you can get the bad ones out, the safer we will be,” she states. “Help the good ones, but take the troublemakers,” she adds.

Edgewood Terrace, like several other D.C. neighborhoods, is improving economically but still struggling with crime. The day before the officers served warrants at Edgewood Terrace, three CSOSA officers accompanied police to the scene of a shooting to serve warrants and to meet jointly with offenders in the community. These joint meetings are called accountability tours.

“We responded with the police because community supervision is a partnership,” Williams explained. “We have to be out there with the police responding to serious incidents in order to earn the community's trust and support.”

CSOSA's community relations staff attend most of the community meetings in the city where crime is an issue. They also schedule monthly meetings with community leaders in every police district to discuss pressing issues.

CSOSA supervision staff attend monthly intelligence-sharing meetings in each police district. Weekly exchanges of information occur in district subdivisions, and specialized CSOSA teams, such as the Sex Offender Unit, routinely share information with MPD detectives that result in the incarceration of child sex offenders.

Most practitioners agree that community policing is an effective strategy. The same is proving true for community-based parole and probation efforts. Throughout the country, parole and probation is emerging from its “central office” orientation, and putting officers on the street to work side by side with police and community members.

Since its inception, CSOSA has dedicated itself to implementing a state-of-the-art community supervision system with high levels of offender contact and drug testing. Caseload ratios are among the lowest in the nation. Almost 50 percent of the population of probationers and parolees are assigned to specialized caseloads or are classified as “intensive” supervision, both of which result in more frequent face-to-face contact.

CSOSA maintains field offices and learning labs in neighborhoods where the offender population is concentrated. At each location, agency operations focus on assessing offenders' risks and working in partnership with law enforcement and community-based organizations to provide offenders with the opportunities they need to be able to contribute to their family, the workforce, and the community. Several community leaders say that the placement of new field offices has stabilized their communities and allowed them direct access to managers about troublesome offenders.

The CSOSA-MPD partnership is built on three basic activities:

• Intelligence and information sharing: CSOs and police officers form teams to supervise defined geographic areas and to share photographs, addresses, and background information on high-risk offenders. CSOSA also shares offender data electronically—photographs, names, aliases, associates' names, criminal histories, employment history, and housing data—with partnering police agencies.



• Accountability tours: CSOs and uniformed police officers in marked police vehicles conduct accountability tours (joint visits with offenders in the community) throughout the city. These activities have led to multiple arrests for weapons and narcotics violations, and they reinforce the need for offenders to comply with community supervision requirements, such as drug testing.



• Mass orientations: CSOs and law enforcement partners host mass orientations, where they meet with offenders recently ordered or released to community supervision. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia also attend these mass orientations to warn offenders about the significant consequences of possessing or using a firearm while on probation, parole, or supervised release.

From these activities, police on the street know which ex-offenders are on probation or parole, where they reside, and with whom they live. In return, CSOs gain the eyes and ears of police who have a presence in the community.

The fundamental features of this partnership also make possible key elements of the Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy to reduce gun-related crime in D.C. CSOSA, police, and the U.S. Attorney's Office collaborate to identify individuals who are aware of or possibly involved in gang-related activity in violent “hotspots” throughout the city. CSOs order offenders to attend call-in sessions in which police, prosecutors, CSOSA officials, and community leaders urge the offenders to “clean up their act” or face joint enforcement and prosecution by the criminal justice system. These efforts are currently being evaluated.

CSOSA has other partnerships as well, including community networks that promote opportunities for offenders. In addition, a faith-community partnership provides mentors and establishes a network of faith-based institutions that offer resources and support programs for returning offenders.

CSOSA's partnership strategy is making a positive difference in D.C. Recidivism for probationers (who constitute 70 percent of intakes) is down from 21 percent arrested in 2002 to 13 percent arrested in 2004. The combined rate for probationers and parolees remained flat at 18 percent during the same period. Baseline data on rearrests for parolees collected before 2002 show larger decreases. Obviously, the degree of CSOSA's interactions with law enforcement affects the percentage of arrests. Reincarcerations, revocations, and drug use have also decreased.

CSOSA is dedicated to establishing effective community and criminal justice partnerships. These activities are essential to achieving the agency's public safety mission, which results in a safer city.

For more information, contact:
Leonard A. Sipes, Jr.
CSOSA Senior Public Affairs Specialist
leonard.sipes@csosa.gov

Reentry has become a major focus in Weed and Seed communities. In fact, a recent survey shows that many innovative reentry efforts are underway in sites throughout the country.

The goal of the survey was to determine the extent to which sites are engaged in prisoner reentry efforts. CCDO partnered with two organizations to get the survey underway: the Center for Community Safety and the Urban Institute. The Center for Community Safety is a community-based center of Winston-Salem State University that helps shape the way local communities respond to violence. T he Urban Institute is an independent nonpartisan group that conducts analysis of the problems facing America's cities and their residents.

In late 2005, 312 Weed and Seed sites were surveyed with 184 sites responding. Of those that responded, 48 percent reported that they were tackling prisoner reentry issues in their communities, a rate higher than researchers expected.

Reentry issues also seem to be inspiring creative programs. Amy Solomon of the Urban Institute said she and other researchers were “impressed not only [with] the number of sites focusing on reentry, but also [with] the level of innovation sites are putting into their reentry initiatives.”

Many sites noted that they use various reentry strategies before and after prisoners are released from jail or prison, although the majority of these strategies are implemented after the ex-offender rejoins the community. One interpretation of the data the survey gathered notes that “overall, the most frequently provided service is vocational training; nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of sites provide it to individuals either before and/or after their release.”

Weed and Seed partnerships run the gamut from law enforcement agencies to nonprofit organizations, and reentry programs are no exception to this rule. Faith-based groups have a high level of presence (68 percent) in Weed and Seed sites that focus on reentry initiatives. The survey also shows that for a “majority of these reentry-involved sites (60 percent), reentry is both a 'weeding' and a 'seeding' strategy.”

Alvin Atkinson from the Center for Community Safety points out that Weed and Seed sites recognize that they cannot implement reentry strategies alone. “They see that partnerships with other agencies are vital to success when it comes to reentry,” he said.

Both new and traditional approaches came to light as a result of this survey. Among these approaches is the relatively new use of mapping technology to document neighborhoods where prisoners are returning and/or where services are located. Many of those sites that are not using mapping technology expressed an interest in the methodology, although some technological and training obstacles remain for a number of sites.

Many sites have used mentoring as a reentry approach to bring recently released prisoners in touch with community members. Also, about one-third of Weed and Seed sites use “one-stop shops” to provide access to a variety of treatment and support providers at a single location.

Common barriers to reentry programs and services are the difficulty of “keeping participants engaged in services, meeting the housing needs of the population, and convincing employers to hire ex-offenders,” according to the survey. Some other problems sites face include the difficulty of coordinating services among agencies in the community, ensuring delivery of mental health and substance abuse services, and building strong relationships with community partners.

With so many difficulties facing communities, site coordinators find that it is important to focus on the resources at hand. Existing Weed and Seed sites are ideal resources for struggling sites when it comes to reentry initiatives. Many successful sites are willing to give guidance and information on what worked in their prisoner reentry initiatives. (See survey for site contact information.)

The results of this survey may give Weed and Seed sites hope that they can be vehicles of change regarding prisoner reentry and other new initiatives. The results suggest that many innovative strategies are being pursued and that reentry initiatives are priorities for many sites. The FY 2007 solicitation for funding of new Weed and Seed communities includes reentry as a matter for serious consideration by potential applicants, and CCDO continues to emphasize the importance of reentry programming.

When sites apply the philosophy of Weed and Seed to reentry strategies, the results are often strong. The final remarks from the survey support this point : “Given that prisoners return to a small handful of communities in each state—including Weed and Seed neighborhoods—there is an enormous opportunity for Weed and Seed coalitions to continue to develop and enhance their reentry efforts.”

The entire survey is available on the Urban Institute Web site: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411364_prisoner_reentry.pdf

For more information, contact:
Alvin Atkinson
Center for Community Safety
336-750-3476

Amy Solomon
Urban Institute
asolomon@ui.urban.org

Resources

Preparing Inmates for Reentry
Correctional Industries Preparing Inmates for Reentry: Recidivism & Post-Release Employment shows that i nmates who participate in the Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program are significantly more successful in obtaining and keeping jobs after their release from prison than are inmates who held traditional prison jobs or did not participate in any job program.
View it on the Web: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/214608.pdf

Examining Effects of Mental Health Problems in Offenders
Mental Health Problems of Prison and Jail Inmates shows that more than half of all prison and jail inmates in 2005 had mental health problems. Inmates with mental health problems had correspondingly higher rates of homelessness and substance abuse.
View it on the Web: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/mhppji.pdf

American Indian/Alaska Native

The criminal justice system in Indian Country often seems like a series of twists and turns. Despite the challenges they face, tribal police are innovative and have implemented several practices that provide effective law enforcement services.

Indian Country is home to 560 federally recognized tribal governments, and a population of nearly 2 million. Each tribal government provides law enforcement services differently, depending on its government structure and state. Larger tribes operate individual police departments—totaling 223 agencies—while others rely on law enforcement services from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)—more than 30 agencies—and still others rely on the state or on county sheriffs.

Jurisdictional gaps, high unemployment rates, alcoholism, and poverty contribute to a very high crime rate in Indian Country. In particular, the overall violent crime rate in Indian Country is 2.5 times the national average, and American Indian women are the most victimized population in the United States. Data indicate that the rates of domestic violence and sexual assaults against this population far exceed those of any other racial or ethnic group, and that one of every three American Indian women will be victimized sexually in her lifetime.

Tribal governments once had full jurisdiction over all crime committed within their boundaries. These justice systems provided a strong deterrence to crime, and social checks and balances held offenders accountable for misconduct. The systems were victim centric, provided a sense of spiritual and emotional recovery, and included restitution. The system evolved over time as a result of U.S. Supreme Court decisions, congressional action, and federal policy, but the system is chaotic and hampers criminal justice.

A critical juncture in tribal law history came with the Supreme Court decision of Oliphant v. Suquamish Tribe of 1978. This decision restricted tribal governments' criminal authority over non-Indians and created a jurisdictional void in Indian Country. Resulting laws restrict states from having jurisdiction in Indian Country when the victim of crime is an Indian. Likewise, tribal courts no longer have jurisdiction over crimes committed by non-Indians in Indian Country.

When tribal police encounter a non-Indian offender they must answer several questions to determine which government has jurisdiction:

• What type of crime was committed?
• Is it a major federal crime?
• Is it a tribal violation or a state crime?
• What are the races of both the victim and the offender?

Tribal police must obtain lawful authority from three separate sovereigns: tribal, state, and federal governments. Training extends beyond a basic academy. Most officers in Indian Country attend a state academy; others attend the BIA Indian Police Academy and receive additional training on either state or federal law.

For tribal police to find some relief in the maze of authority, they can use a little known set of federal misdemeanor laws. When a non-Indian commits a crime against an Indian, the Central Violations Bureau, a program under the federal courts, can prosecute the case. This can only occur if tribal police have BIA federal authority and an agreement with the federal court and the district's U.S. Attorney. Although the number of this type of violation is limited, tribal police exercise the federal laws whenever possible.

Tribal police have developed educational programs for their counterparts in an effort to develop partnerships and strengthen law enforcement in Indian Country. In 2003, a particularly effective program in Arizona involved filming and distributing a training video on tribal tradition and federal law. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board provided the resources to develop the video, and the tribal police chiefs offered technical advice and individuals to present the information. The course was delivered via teleconference throughout the state, and copies were provided to each police agency for in-service training.

The video training was implemented because state, local, and county police agencies were hesitant to assist tribal police and, on occasion, were apprehensive to even discuss problems. After agencies were trained, cooperation and memorandums of agreement between state, local, and county agencies became routine. The Yavapai-Prescott Indian tribe and the City of Prescott have been using the program for more than 5 years.

Despite barriers, tribal police have taken steps to develop partnerships and enhance information sharing, mutual aid, and cooperation with their state, local, county, and federal counterparts. These partnerships are crucial considering the current state of homeland security and the need for solidarity on all fronts. To form such allies, education is a must, for through education comes cooperation.

For more information, contact:
Edward Reina
Tohono O'odham Public Safety Department Director
ed.reina@tonation-nsn.gov

With the establishment of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) centers, CCDO is taking the first step toward giving low- to moderate-income families in Indian Country a leg up.

By helping residents get their full share of tax credits and refunds, VITA centers can play a crucial role in reducing poverty in Weed and Seed sites. To ensure that tribal communities can participate in this newest asset-building strategy, CCDO collaborated across bureaus of the Office of Justice Programs to provide tribal communities with VITA sites. CCDO Director Dennis Greenhouse worked with Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator J. Robert Flores to ensure that OJJDP tribal youth program grantees could participate in the VITA program, showing OJP's continuing commitment to tribal issues.

VITA centers provide free tax preparation assistance to families that earn less than $38,000 per year, saving them an average of $350 in tax preparation fees. The centers encourage taxpayers to use the earned income tax credit (EITC) and child tax credit, both of which support low- to moderate-income families and which, together, constitute the largest antipoverty program in the country. EITC returns up to $4,500 for a working family of 4 earning under the $38,000 cap, and child tax credits provide an additional $1,000 per child (limit 2).

During 2005, the first year of the VITA technical assistance project, 50 Weed and Seed sites processed over 11,000 returns worth more than $15 million in tax credits and refunds. This year, for the first time, tribes also were selected to launch VITA centers. They are the—

• Blackfeet Tribe, Browning, MT;
• Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Lac du Flambeau, WI;
• Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, WA;
• Pascua Yacqui Tribe, Tucson, AZ;
• Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA; and
• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie, MI.

These six tribes will receive training and a computer lab to facilitate e-filing of tax returns in time for the 2007 tax season. Each tribe will strive to process at least 100 tax returns during the initial year of operation.

How VITA centers will work for some tribes is determined by location. For the Pascua Yacqui, most of the 16,000 members live in and around Tucson and near Phoenix, while only about one-third of the tribe lives on the reservation. Because members are scattered over a fairly large urban area, the tribe is looking to supplement their VITA computer lab with mobile resources—such as laptops—to meet the needs of their population. The computer lab will be located in the tribe's education department and also will be used to expand after-school support, tutoring, and job skills training opportunities.

“As with many tribes, our members suffer from economic hardship, unemployment, and lack of support services,” said Len Goeller, Economic Development Manager for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. “We particularly wish to connect our members with the EITC and child tax credit programs, as those are not easily accessed by members in rural, agriculture-based communities.”

Wisconsin's Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians also has found that partnerships are important to the success of VITA centers. The Lac du Flambeau Juvenile Justice Program, an OJJDP tribal youth grantee, is partnering with the Lac du Flambeau Housing Authority to deliver VITA services at three locations during the next tax season. Six volunteers worked with the Housing Authority to launch the VITA program last year, and they processed 289 tax returns, totaling $264,000 in federal refunds and tax credits.

The new partnership will allow the Tribal Planning Council and the Family Resource Center to serve as VITA sites. The tribe's goal for its VITA sites next tax season is to process 450 returns. The tribal government is currently working with local banks to make it easier for tribal members to open bank accounts that allow direct deposit of tax refunds.

Like the Pascua Yacqui of Arizona, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippew Indians will also be using the VITA computer resources to enhance other services at the three locations, including tutoring, home schooling, financial counseling, and general use by the public. Tribal leaders also are leveraging the casino and tribal marketing departments to conduct outreach and recruit volunteers and to educate tribal members about EITC and free tax preparation through the VITA sites.

Reducing poverty is an essential element of the Weed and Seed strategy. When the poverty rate in a neighborhood goes down, the risk that its young people will engage in delinquent or criminal behavior goes down, as does its crime rate. Ultimately, a reduction in the number of families living in poverty can transform a community.

For more information, contact:

John Young
Lac du Flambeau Juvenile Justice Program Coordinator
715-588-1511

Colleen Copple, CCDO Consultant, contributed to this article. Contact her at colleen.copple@usdoj.gov or 202-353-4317.

Resources

Providing Public Safety in Indian Country
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Law Enforcement Services (BIA OLES) has launched a new Web site explaining its responsibility for law enforcement and public safety throughout Indian Country. BIA OLES provides police services, criminal investigations, and detention services to tribal communities.
View it on the Web: http://ple.doi.gov/index.php?section=7&subsection=31

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