NEWS & VIEWS
Reports
Taking Gender Bias out of Policing
A new guide published by the U.S. Department of Justice will assist police in identifying and preventing gender bias when responding to sexual assaults and domestic violence. Eight principles, including treating all victims with respect and referring victims to appropriate services, can be adopted in policies and training.
Improving the Well-Being of Vulnerable Youth
These recommendations for the successful transition of youth to adulthood begin by exploring the important role and responsibility of youth-serving systems that support the well-being of young people. The document provides a series of action items for youth system leaders, policymakers, and public and private funders.
News
Violence Prevention Starts at Home
Customizing youth violence prevention programs to address different racial and ethnic groups could help reduce fights between teens, according to a paper in the Journal of Child and Family Studies. Lead researcher Rashmi Shetgiri says families—especially parents—must be involved. Shetgiri and her colleagues conducted two focus groups for African American parents and two focus groups for Latino parents of 13- to 17-year-olds in urban areas. Both groups agreed violence prevention starts with parents. But while Latino families tolerated fighting only as a last resort, African American parents expressed some doubt about the effectiveness of nonviolent conflict resolution. Latino and African American parents both endorsed teaching nonviolent strategies. Shetgiri's team says improving violence prevention programs may first require addressing parental attitudes toward fighting.
Shelby County Gives Youth a Voice in Preventing Incarceration
Seeking solutions to prevent youth violence, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (Tenn.) and Bridges—a community organization that advocates youth leadership—talked to young people in the area who were most affected. The collaboration looks to local youth to help develop solutions for violence prevention. Participating youths, who named themselves the Incarcerated Brothers Speaking out for Change, created a handbook with recommendations for rethinking suspensions and expulsions, more free activities for young people, and mentoring programs. Their goal is to prevent other kids from ending up in jail.
Wear Orange for Peace
All 3,000 players on the Lightning Basketball League will now sport an orange patch on their game jerseys. The patch is part of the Wear Orange campaign to end gun violence, which began after two New York ballers were badly injured by gunfire. In Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, and New Jersey, league leaders have promised their teams will be wearing the patch.
Teens Keep Seattle's Homeless Warm
Last month, Seattle, Wash., kids gave out hats and socks to homeless men and women in the downtown area. The teens are part of Seattle's Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, which strives to keep young people out of the juvenile justice system and off the streets. By helping those who are less fortunate or may have fallen on hard times, youths are empowered to do more good in their community and appreciate what they have.
Turning Anger Into Hope in West Louisville
Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, 2015, more than 300 shootings occurred in Louisville, Ky., with 51 percent concentrated in West Louisville. The numbers have shaken city residents, including longtime activist Christopher 2X, who visited two young shooting victims in the hospital. 2X invited the boys to join the We All We Got: Hood 2 Hood movement—to look not for revenge but instead a better, safer community. They accepted and have become vocal activists for an end to gun violence in West Louisville.
Justice Department Investigates Police Brutality in Chicago
Chicago, Ill., officials released two videos of police mistreating black men in prison. One shows an officer using a Taser against 38-year-old Philip Coleman, then dragging his limp body out of a cell and down the hallway. Coleman, who reportedly experienced a mental health crisis before being arrested for attacking his mother, later died in police custody. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Chicago Police Department's use of deadly force, allegations of racism, and procedures for police accountability. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who initially opposed the investigation, is now supporting it.
University to Research Aftermath of Violence for Young Black Men
As part of a 3-year, $1.5 million grant from the Justice Department, the University of Illinois at Chicago is preparing a study on the experiences of violence survivors—specifically young black men. The study will start with a pilot-test survey of violence survivors from Chicago, Cook County, and rural communities and later expand to other cities. Participants will provide insight into the physical, emotional, and financial injuries they suffered resulting from assaults, gang violence, and hate crimes, as well as the sources that helped them cope. The Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crimes will use the results as a guide for responding to violence victims.
Other
Transcript of Attorney General's Remarks on Jan. 18
"The victories of the Civil Rights Movement were extraordinary achievements and it is fitting that we celebrate them today," said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch at the Jan. 18 National Action Network's Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast. "But even more than celebrate, it is fitting that we act." The U.S. Department of Justice is taking a hard look at every stage of the criminal justice process. With efforts to end the school-to-prison pipeline and investments in programs that use an evidence-based approach to public health and justice systems, the Justice Department is working to "ensure that everyone in this country can achieve the full blessings of American life."
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