12/7/95 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• 9. between justice agencies, schools, and public health, emergency medicine, social service agencies, and community based organizations is definitely "needed in specific problem solving initiatives to systematically test and refine promising violence prevention tactics" (Roth, 1995, p.16). Given the complexity of the problems facing American society, crime prevention is no longer an primarily a law enforcement responsibility; rather, it is a community accomplishment requiring the collaboration of many agencies, groups, and individuals, including the police (Working as Partners, 1994). This crucial partnership between law enforcement agencies and other governments or private organizations can be beneficial to both groups . On one hand, "law enforcement expertise can be especially useful to groups concerned with problems of personal safety, residential security, or crime in the neighborhood" (Working as Partners, 1994, p.2). On the other hand, participating in recreational activities enables police officers to know, and be known by, young people before they get into trouble with the law (Partnerships to Prevent Youth Violence, 1994) . Tables 1 and 2 show that recreation-based programs use a variety of strategies to meet a number of objectives. In addition to addressing the problem of violence in general, these programs focus on objectives relative to the prevention of substance abuse, conflict resolution, gang involvement, sexual activity, and school dropouts. Goals in these areas tend to be reached through a combination of activities, including sports, arts, recreation, mentoring, academic, and life skills training.