• Resources (money and staffing) are limited.

• Broad-brush tactics (e.g. bumper-stickers) have produced no measurable reduction in
  levels of violence around the city.

• The number of homicides amongst young people continues to rise.

• A focused effort is always more successful.

Accepting these facts, the Department will focus its initial Stop the Violence Campaign in Southeast Area. Southeast Area currently leads the city in year-to-date homicides. Other Areas will continue with anti-violence programs they currently conduct and can plan on additional support, but the Department is placing extra emphasis and diverting available resources to Southeast Area. Program implementation will be focused there and tailored to meet the cultural needs of that area. Programs will be periodically evaluated for level of success and replaced if unproductive. The process is continually evolving.

Following are brief summaries of programs already operating and/or in the development stages.

Recruitment Section will modify the blue rubber balls currently distributed to also sport a "Know Peace…No Violence" message. Toys such as these are continually handled, kept, shared with others, and looked at by kids and teens. The message is constantly "played with" and visible.

The Department will consider partnering with the Los Angeles County Office of Education Safe Schools Center to jump-start the VIP program. This highly successful pilot program involving the Juvenile Courts, District Attorney, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department, and County Coroner focused on students convicted of bringing a gun to school or a school function. The program involved both offenders and their parents, providing exposure to the Twin Towers Jail, realities of death at the Coroner’s facility, and a myriad of educational activities all crammed into two days. The Department will look at modifying the program for use with high school students, non-offenders and then supporting it through the acquisition of grants to fund it.

Following the example set in Harbor Area, other Areas will help neighborhoods take back their streets through the use of collaborative block parties and neighborhood clean-ups. While graffiti will always reappear, people are more likely to help clean it up if the task is done in large groups (feeling of safety in numbers) with police present, and if it looks like it’s just part of an overall cleaning project. Then no one gang can claim it has been "disrespected" and retaliate against one homeowner. They may not say it out loud but if a kid feels some pride inside about where he lives, his attitude towards others will also improve. Ownership.

The Department will work in partnership with the faith community to spread a Stop the Violence message through the many religious congregations. Partners thus far include:

• Cardinal Roger Mahoney, Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese
• Very Reverend Ernesto Medina, Catheral Center of Saint Paul
• Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Faithful Central Bible Church
• President L. Daniel Williams, Baptist Ministers Convention
• Minister Tony Muhammad, Western Region, Muhammad Mosque 27

The Department will encourage the judicial community to assign youths to the Turning Point Academy. Through SB 1542, Governor Gray Davis tasked the California National Guard to establish and operate a six-month residential academy for first-time juvenile offenders who have committed a firearms related offense on a California school campus, or at a school sponsored event off campus. This is not a traditional "boot camp", nor does it utilize concepts of shock incarceration. The program consists consisting of:

• A comprehensive, individualized program plan (specific goals/objectives, personal responsibility, high accountability/standards)
• A full intake/assessment process (academic, social, emotional, vocational, drug test, health screening performed by credentialed teachers, licensed mental health staff, and licensed physician) On-going assessments during residential phase.
• Individual and group mental health treatment services.
• A high school curriculum utilizing the California State Standards and Frameworks (approved by the Secretary for Education) which focuses on the core subjects of mathematics, English/language arts, history/social science, science, and prep for the high school exit examination.
• Oversight provided by the Board of Corrections
• A transition phase and aftercare component prior to leaving the six month residential setting.

Working in partnership with Vons Grocery Chain, Stop the Violence Campaign messages will be printed on the sides of paper grocery bags used by the stores.