Finally- A list that is good to be on-- From Ark. Democrat Gazette
LR in top communities list
Ranking puts it among 100 best for young people
BY HEATHER WECSLER
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Little Rock’s efforts in reducing gang violence and youth crime has placed the state capital among the 100 best communities for young people, according to a national group. The city was one of 100 winners named in the national competition, launched in May by America’s Promise — The Alliance for Youth.
Founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell in 1997, the Alexandria, Va.based group is an alliance that brings together nonprofit, corporate and community groups nationwide with the mission to improve children’s chances for success. Its members include the United Way of America, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Junior Achievement and the YMCA, among others. Alma Powell, Gen. Powell’s wife, is the alliance’s chairman.
"Little Rock is receiving the 100 Best honor, in part, because the city, joined by a wide array of partners including local school districts, hospitals, businesses, small and large nonprofits, colleges and universities and many others, has made a huge investment in the future of its young people," said Mike McGill, a spokesman for America’s Promise Alliance, by e-mail.
McGill specifically cited the $30 million in tax revenue the city has invested since the 1990s in gang prevention, intervention and substance-abuse treatment programs.
"As a result of programs such as the Summer Youth Employment program and 12 anti-gang programs, major crimes in Little Rock have dropped, especially among the adolescent population," McGill said.
More than 700 communities, ranging from small towns to urban neighborhoods, applied for the distinction of making the alliance’s list, McGill said. Of those, 271 reached the final selection process. The winners were chosen by United Way of America President Brian Gallagher, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and retired baseball player Cal Ripken Jr.
"All the citizens of Little Rock should be proud of the progress we’ve made for the youth of our city," said Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey. He made his announcement in front of a gathering of participants in City Year Little Rock, which supplies mentors and tutors in area schools.
City Year, a national service program that inspired the AmeriCorps program, held its convention in Little Rock in June. Dailey called the group’s members a "great backdrop" to the day’s news.
"Eleven years ago, Little Rock was getting recognition for our youth, but it was not the kind of recognition we wanted to get," Dailey said, referring to gang violence, which peaked in 1993 and was highlighted in the HBO documentary Gang War: Bangin’ in Little Rock.
"What did we do? We came together with a vision that Little Rock could be better," Dailey said.
Part of that vision was investing in prevention, not just more police, said Paul Kelly, who was a city board member from 1996 to 2000. The Little Rock Police Department could not provide statistics of the crime reduction Monday. In 1995, officials said roughly one out of every 11 teenagers in Pulaski County belonged to a street gang. And local police said there was a gang presence in every junior high school and high school in the city. Since then, officials said, intervention efforts have helped reduce adolescent crime in the city.
But gang violence hasn’t gone away completely. Barbara Mariani, division chief over gang unit and juvenile crime with the county prosecutors’ office, said she has prosecuted six gang-related homicides so far this year and 11 gang-related homicides in 2004, about one a month. "It’s a big difference since the mid- ’90s," she said. "But if you don’t stay on it, [the gang violence ] will resurface. I do think if you get kids involved in afterschool programs, it does help."
Dorothy Nayles, director of the city’s Department of Community Programs, said the city’s programs have changed since the days when drive-by shootings seemed frequent. "Back then we were looking at programs that would save kids’ lives because kids were dying every day," Nayles said. "Now we’ve moved to programs that improve quality of life, providing safe places after school, programs in the performing arts and programs in the visual arts."
Ken Richardson, deputy director of New Futures for Youth, one of the city’s largest anti-gang organizations, said the number of children and adolescents in Little Rock hasn’t changed, but their prospects have. His program now works with adolescents on career development. "The demographics haven’t changed," Richardson said. "But you certainly don’t have the territorial disputes you had before, and you certainly don’t have kids without a positive adult role model."
This story was published Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Copyright © 2005, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ranking puts it among 100 best for young people
BY HEATHER WECSLER
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Little Rock’s efforts in reducing gang violence and youth crime has placed the state capital among the 100 best communities for young people, according to a national group. The city was one of 100 winners named in the national competition, launched in May by America’s Promise — The Alliance for Youth.
Founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell in 1997, the Alexandria, Va.based group is an alliance that brings together nonprofit, corporate and community groups nationwide with the mission to improve children’s chances for success. Its members include the United Way of America, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Junior Achievement and the YMCA, among others. Alma Powell, Gen. Powell’s wife, is the alliance’s chairman.
"Little Rock is receiving the 100 Best honor, in part, because the city, joined by a wide array of partners including local school districts, hospitals, businesses, small and large nonprofits, colleges and universities and many others, has made a huge investment in the future of its young people," said Mike McGill, a spokesman for America’s Promise Alliance, by e-mail.
McGill specifically cited the $30 million in tax revenue the city has invested since the 1990s in gang prevention, intervention and substance-abuse treatment programs.
"As a result of programs such as the Summer Youth Employment program and 12 anti-gang programs, major crimes in Little Rock have dropped, especially among the adolescent population," McGill said.
More than 700 communities, ranging from small towns to urban neighborhoods, applied for the distinction of making the alliance’s list, McGill said. Of those, 271 reached the final selection process. The winners were chosen by United Way of America President Brian Gallagher, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and retired baseball player Cal Ripken Jr.
"All the citizens of Little Rock should be proud of the progress we’ve made for the youth of our city," said Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey. He made his announcement in front of a gathering of participants in City Year Little Rock, which supplies mentors and tutors in area schools.
City Year, a national service program that inspired the AmeriCorps program, held its convention in Little Rock in June. Dailey called the group’s members a "great backdrop" to the day’s news.
"Eleven years ago, Little Rock was getting recognition for our youth, but it was not the kind of recognition we wanted to get," Dailey said, referring to gang violence, which peaked in 1993 and was highlighted in the HBO documentary Gang War: Bangin’ in Little Rock.
"What did we do? We came together with a vision that Little Rock could be better," Dailey said.
Part of that vision was investing in prevention, not just more police, said Paul Kelly, who was a city board member from 1996 to 2000. The Little Rock Police Department could not provide statistics of the crime reduction Monday. In 1995, officials said roughly one out of every 11 teenagers in Pulaski County belonged to a street gang. And local police said there was a gang presence in every junior high school and high school in the city. Since then, officials said, intervention efforts have helped reduce adolescent crime in the city.
But gang violence hasn’t gone away completely. Barbara Mariani, division chief over gang unit and juvenile crime with the county prosecutors’ office, said she has prosecuted six gang-related homicides so far this year and 11 gang-related homicides in 2004, about one a month. "It’s a big difference since the mid- ’90s," she said. "But if you don’t stay on it, [the gang violence ] will resurface. I do think if you get kids involved in afterschool programs, it does help."
Dorothy Nayles, director of the city’s Department of Community Programs, said the city’s programs have changed since the days when drive-by shootings seemed frequent. "Back then we were looking at programs that would save kids’ lives because kids were dying every day," Nayles said. "Now we’ve moved to programs that improve quality of life, providing safe places after school, programs in the performing arts and programs in the visual arts."
Ken Richardson, deputy director of New Futures for Youth, one of the city’s largest anti-gang organizations, said the number of children and adolescents in Little Rock hasn’t changed, but their prospects have. His program now works with adolescents on career development. "The demographics haven’t changed," Richardson said. "But you certainly don’t have the territorial disputes you had before, and you certainly don’t have kids without a positive adult role model."
This story was published Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Copyright © 2005, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved.
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