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Neighbors Take Watch for the Children: Local Program Makes Kids Feel Safer and Brings the Community Closer

NCJ Number
185432
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 27 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2000 Pages: 100-104
Author(s)
Rebecca Kanable
Date Published
October 2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the "Kid Watch" program in Los Angeles, a joint program of the police, school district, and community designed to increase the safety of children when they are walking to and from school.
Abstract
The program focuses on children who live close to the University of Southern California (USC) University Park campus and attend one of the five area Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools. The Family of Five Schools contacted the Los Angeles Police Department, the USC Department of Public Safety, and the LAUSD Police Department. This coalition developed the concept of providing safe zones for children to use in walking to and from school. Safe zones are areas identified as having less traffic accidents, less robberies, and less gang activities. The task force also turned to the community to watch over the children walking to and from school and report any crime observed. Currently, there are 730 volunteers who display yellow Kid Watch decals in the windows of their homes, businesses, churches, and nonprofit agencies. Their job is to observe what is happening on the streets and sidewalks during those periods when kids are going to and from school. The policy is that volunteers are not to invite children into their homes or businesses, and the children are not to seek such entrance. This policy is intended to reduce any liability that could result from having children in a volunteer's residence or business. Volunteers are expected to keep a watchful eye on the children and report to the police any indication that a child may be victimized. Both volunteers and kids are trained in the policies of the program.