News
Monday, March 10, 2008
City and Santa Barbara School Districts Receive Update on Youth Violence
The Santa Barbara School Districts Board of Education and Santa Barbara City Council met recently to share information on various items, including youth violence. Following are key points that were raised during the January 29 update on youth violence.
The School Districts reported their increased efforts to curb youth violence, including:
- targeted gang prevention programs;
- improved enforcement of school rules;
- school staff and parent training;
- violence prevention curriculum;
- mentoring;
- youth development/skills building.
According to Superintendent Brian Sarvis, “Despite the budget challenges of the Santa Barbara School Districts and the city, our organizations are committed to finding solutions to end youth violence.”
The Santa Barbara Police Department estimates that there are approximately 100 “hard-core” youth gang members and another 750 who are considered gang associates of varying degrees.
“We have stepped-up our efforts to combat crimes caused by gang members. Our focus on the hard core gang members is paying off; we have made 194 arrests in the last nine months,” said Police Chief Cam Sanchez. “We’re being aggressive with the hard core members to prevent them from committing more crimes and recruiting more gang members,” added Chief Sanchez.
In addition to more aggressive enforcement, the city reported on recreation and prevention efforts including:
- recreation programs for underserved neighborhoods;
- afterschool programs, especially in junior high;
- youth jobs program funded and launched in September 2007.
“We see a value in prevention through recreation – and the Council’s approval of $174,000 in new funding this fiscal year helped us fund sports, teen summer concerts, art, tutoring and the ‘Fun on the Run Mobile Recreation’ programs,” said Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Rapp,
A new youth jobs program has employed 37 youth in community businesses. In addition, with an $863,000 federal grant the city will serve another 200 in and out of school youth.
On January 31, 2008, the city convened community stakeholders to explore ways to target the hard core gang members and affiliates. The meeting resulted in the establishment of a Strategic Planning Committee to:
- develop an inventory of community resources to improve coordination of services and activities for at-risk youth;
- prepare a strategic plan to comprehensively address youth violence issues; and
- minimize bureaucratic inefficiencies when working together to assist each child.