NCJ Number
186306
Date Published
June 1999
Length
42 pages
Annotation
In an effort to improve healthy outcomes for children, youth, and families, the City of Salinas, Calif., joined with the Violent Injury Prevention Coalition and their foundation Partners for Peace to launch a community collaborative planning process; the resulting framework presented in this report focuses on reducing youth violence but also addresses overall community well-being.
Abstract
The intent of the framework is to provide a profile of community assets and needs and to chart the kinds of long-term efforts needed to prevent and reduce violence. The framework development process involved a Core Group that consisted of 20 people who represented diverse sectors of Salinas. This Core Group identified and analyzed the underlying issues and prioritized the solutions with the best chance for success. An extended network of 100 people provided critical information and analysis. Additionally, over 50 people were interviewed and 75 questionnaires analyzed, with extensive participation by youth and their parents. Key risk factors examined included alcohol and other drugs, family dynamics, witnessing/experiencing violence, media, economics, guns, incarceration, oppression, literacy, and truancy. The analysis also examined the resiliency factors and the strengths and successes upon which to build. Using assets such as parents, media, faith communities, local businesses, and schools, the Salinas community has a history of actively addressing violence in innovative ways. The "Spectrum of Prevention," a six-level tool, was used to shape and conceptualize a multifaceted approach. The six levels are the strengthening of individual knowledge and skills, the promotion of community education, the education of providers who influence others, the fostering of coalitions and networks, changing organization practices, and influencing policy and legislation. The Core Group prioritized systemic changes rather than the creation of new programs. Fostering coalitions and networks was deemed particularly important, because continued and improved collaboration in Salinas is essential to maximize community-wide efforts and implement all the recommendations. 50 footnotes