Success Stories

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Problem:

During the late 1980s, Boston was a city caught in a crossfire of gang violence and murder. In 1990, the city recorded the highest number of killings in its history.

Solutions:

To reverse the trends, Boston initiated a comprehensive community-based strategy to reach at-risk youth before they take their first step into crime and to deal with those already in trouble. The city created the Youth Violence Strike Force ("Strike Force"), a coordinated multi-agency task force of 45 full-time Police Officers and 15 officers from outside agencies. Membership in the Strike Force includes the ATF, the Massachusetts State Police and juvenile corrections officers. The Strike Force is one of the primary enforcement strategies employed by Boston to combat youth violence and break up criminal street gangs.
Operation Night Light sends police and probation officers on nightly home visits to ensure youth compliance with probation. This ground breaking partnership has fostered better interactions between police and probation officers, parents, and youths.
Operation Cease Fire represents Boston's zero-tolerance policy for crime and gang activity. Boston police meet with gang members to make clear that there will be zero tolerance for their violence-- and graffiti, truancy, and noise statutes are vigorously enforced to halt gang activity.
Boston worked closely with the ATF, U.S. Attorney's Office, DEA, FBI and the Suffolk District Attorney's Office to develop the Boston Gun Project. The Project has cracked down on the illegal gun market who sell to youths through tracing gun serial numbers and severely punishing those who provide gangs and youths access to guns.
Prevention efforts are also part of the Boston model. The Summer of Opportunity partnership with businesses engages at-risk youth in activities geared to benefit their academic and professional aspirations, and places some of the youth in part-time jobs. The Department of Health and Human Services funds community schools so children can have safe havens from the dangers of the streets.

Results:

Boston's three-pronged strategy of prevention, intervention, and enforcement for youth violence is paying off. Youth homicides have dropped some 80% citywide from 1990 to 1995, and in 1996 not a single youth died in a firearm homicide in the city. Violent crime in public schools decreased more than 20% in the 1995-1996 school year and over 150 drug dens have been closed through joint Federal-state-local cooperation.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

Problem:

Like many communities across the country, Jacksonville experienced unprecedented increases in juvenile crime. From 1991 to 1996, more than 80 juveniles died as a result of firearms-related incidents. In 1992 alone, 454 youths were arrested for aggravated assaults.

Solutions:

Florida State Attorney Harry Shorstein used a combination of early intervention for at-risk youth and tough punishment for juvenile criminals to revamp the existing juvenile justice system.
The State Attorney's Office became actively involved with numerous intervention programs, including School Liaison Programs, the School Conflict Resolution Program, and Impact Panels.
Creating a safe and positive school environment was made a top priority. School Resource Officers were stationed throughout the schools to create positive bonds with students and increase campus safety. The Truancy Arbitration Program held hearings with parents, teachers, and the State Attorney's office to curb student truancy. A program for at-risk students with serious discipline problems was instituted where the students attend weekly delinquency hearings in juvenile courts.
The restructured juvenile justice system in Duval County, Florida includes a strong diversionary program called the Youth Offender Program. The program takes appropriate non-violent youth offenders out of the congested court system and puts them into diversionary programs. It is estimated that about 70% of the diverted youths do not re-offend.
The Jacksonville program also prosecutes habitual juvenile offenders as adults. This serves the dual purpose of protecting the public and providing a strong incentive for at-risk youth to abide by the law.

Results:

From 1993 to 1996, murder committed by juveniles dropped 72%, the number of vehicle thefts decreased by nearly 60%, and rape and sex offenses were cut in half.
An evaluation of Jacksonville's juvenile justice system estimated that over 7,200 robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts were prevented by incarcerating habitual juvenile offenders as adults during 1992-1995.

SALINAS, CALIFORNIA

Problem:

From 1984 to 1994, homicides jumped 200% in Salinas. Other crimes such as assault and robbery also increased over the same period. Salinas residents identified gang violence and fear of gangs as the number one problem facing the community. The Salinas Police Department identified between 20 and 25 local gangs, with approximately 1,500 gang members.

Solutions:

In September 1995, the Clinton Administration awarded the Salinas Police Department nearly $1 million as part of the COPS Youth Firearms Violence Initiative. Salinas used the funding to expand their anti-gang task force into a full-time effort. A Police/Community Advisory Commission was formed to involve the community in crime reduction strategies.
The Salinas Police Department created a Violence Suppression Unit (VSU) to take firearms away from youth and gang members. Working closely with the District Attorney's Office, the Unit's 17 officers used the Geographic Information system database to enhance tracking of criminal activity in their area.
Salinas established a Violent Injury Prevention Program to reduce and prevent violent acts by youth.
The city also introduced "Peace Builders," a violence intervention program encouraging non-violent behavior amongst elementary school-aged children. Additionally, 20 neighborhood block clean-up programs were formed to clear garbage from the streets.

Results:

Salinas experienced a dramatic drop in crime after passage of the 1994 Clinton Crime Bill. Community policing efforts led to 165 juvenile arrests and 392 adult arrests by the VSU officers between October 1995 and May 1996. Homicides fell by 62%, gang related assaults decreased by 23%, and drive-by shootings dropped by 31%. Residents are more active in crime prevention and community officers serve as mentors for Salinas youth.