The City of Seattle’s 2009-2010 budget included a new, multi-million dollar Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative to dramatically change how the city deals with youth violence.

In proposing this new Initiative, former Mayor Nickels stated, “We will not stand for this violence; this has to stop. The time has come for the city and the community to fundamentally change our overall strategy on preventing youth violence. I am asking neighbors, families, schools, churches, service workers and community members to come together and join our efforts.”

In 2008, five teenagers were shot to death in Seattle.  Earlier in the year, former Mayor Nickels brought together community leaders, principals, members of the faith community and others to develop a new approach to preventing youth and gang-related violence.

The Initiative is underway and focuses on about 800 young people a year who are at highest risk of perpetuating violence or becoming victims.

Initiative planners began by examining programs in Seattle and in cities across the nation including Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, San Jose, Washington D.C. and Lowell, Mass.Representatives from cities with proven strategies to decrease youth violence were invited to Seattle to share their innovative programs.  Baltimore’s Operation Safe Kids used intensive outreach to juvenile offenders and saw a 44 percent drop in the number of youth re-arrested. “The lesson for Seattle is collaboration. You always need a strategy,” advised Director Chris Williams.

Penny Griffith works with Latino youth and their parents in neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., where they dramatically reduced shootings and stabbings.  ”The community got angry and said enough is enough,” Griffith said.

Seattle’s Initiative incorporates many of the ideas from these national models.  It proposes a new approach to street outreach with the use of violence interrupters who are privy to information on the street and may actually prevent violent acts and retaliation before they occur.

Engaging Our Young People

Young people will be referred to a wide range of services through juvenile court, police, community outreach workers, schools, Seattle Parks and Recreation youth centers, and the neighborhood network agencies.

The Seattle Initiative calls for establishing extended hours at some youth centers, giving children a safe place to go, or be taken, to stay out of trouble.  In addition to case management, anger management and recreation programming, the City will support more community-based projects that engage and mentor young people.

In April 2009, school emphasis officers were assigned to four middle schools, where they  work to improve attendance and train children to deal with conflict.  In summer of 2009, the Initiative helped to fund summer youth employment, giving 200 young people an opportunity to learn important job skills and putting them on a path for a better future.

Even before the Initiative began, Seattle police stepped up emphasis patrols, working especially closely with schools, and doubled the number of officers working in the gang unit.  Mayor Nickels emphasized that law enforcement can be only part of the solution.  He also acknowledged members of the faith community for their efforts and contributions.

To read more about the City’s Initiative, including related reports and documents, click here.