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THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN YEARBOOK 1998
of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have succeeded
in reducing youth violence by fostering collaboration
among law enforcement officials and
engaging all segments of the community in crime
prevention efforts. One part of Allegheny's approach
has been to convene a group of Law Enforcement
Agency Directors (LEAD)-two dozen
local, state, and federal law enforcement leaders
who share information and collaborate. LEAD's
six task forces, including a gun task force that focuses
in part on those selling guns to young people,
have been key to improving community safety.
A second thrust involves a Youth Crime Prevention
Council, initiated and chaired by the U.S.
Attorney. Council members include the mayor of
Pittsburgh, the county commissioner, a corporate
leader, the local Catholic diocese's bishop, a foundation
chair, the local Urban League chair, and two
dozen other representatives from the community.
The council, which focuses on implementing prevention
programs, has increased the number of
trained volunteer mentors, started sports leagues
serving 3,200 youths each year in 12 communities,
placed nearly 2,500 high school students in jobs in
the private and nonprofit sectors, and established
four new family support centers.
Allegheny County has found that sustained coordination
among different agencies maximizes the
impact of individual efforts to keep children and
communities safe. Arrests of young people for violent
crime in the county plunged 30 percent between
1994 and 1995, compared with a statewide
decline of 9 percent.
Moving Forward: A 1998 Agenda
for Action
The recent drop in violence by and against
young people is an encouraging development.
Nonetheless, far too many American children
still crowd the justice system rather than the school
system, and far too many others are haunted by
fear and victimization.
How can we rescue our young people from the
threat-and the reality-of violence and crime?
Communication is vital: advocates for youths and
young people themselves must voice their concerns
and put forward solutions at every opportunity.
Collaboration is also key. Partnerships should be
built across jurisdictions and job functions, and all
segments of the community should be included.
Political and civic leaders, police, prosecutors,
judges, youth workers, businesses, foundations,
schools, churches, and hospitals, as well as parents
and young people, all have a stake in keeping children
and the public safe, and all can make valuable
contributions.
In the coming year advocates should:
• Emphasize prevention. Those who know that
prevention works-through activities such as
mentoring, after-school and summer programs,
community policing, and intensive probation-must
send the message over and over to
policy makers and the public that prevention is
the smart way to reduce violence by and
against children. New spokespeople in the
community, especially police, corrections
workers, and judges, need to come forward.
Greater efforts must be made to articulate the
effectiveness-and the cost-effectiveness-of
prevention. The National Council ofState Legislators
estimates that a new juvenile prison
bed costs $102,000, compared with $3,000 for
an after-school slot. Advocates should continue
to pound home the point, so that political
leaders never fmd it easy to cut funding for
prevention efforts.
• Develop opportunities for young people in their
out~f-school hours. Children and families in
1998 need new supports to reflect the changes
in the work world since 1973. After-school activities-at
schools, churches, YMCAs, and
other community-based organizations-must
be made available. Communities must seek
and create more opportunities to link children
with caring adults and positive activities, including
mentoring programs and jobs.
• Replicate successful programs. The success
stories in Boston, Nashville, and Allegheny
County need to be replicated. Advocates
should share information about what works to
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