Patrick Administration Awards Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                      CONTACT     Kyle Sullivan
November 12, 2008                                                        Becky Deusser                                                                                     Kim Haberlin
                                                                                    617-725-4025
                                                                                    Terrel Harris (EOPSS)
                                                                                  617-727-7775 ext. 25542

PATRICK ADMINISTRATION AWARDS YOUTH AND GANG VIOLENCE PREVENTION GRANTS

$2 million Increase in Shannon Grant Funding

BOSTON – Monday, November 10, 2008 – Governor Deval Patrick has awarded $12.4 million in public safety grants to 17 sites, representing 39 cities and towns, to help support regional and multi-disciplinary efforts to combat youth and gang violence.

The Senator Charles E. Shannon Community Safety Initiative is a state grant program funded since 2006 for communities with high levels of youth violence and gang activity. Administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the grants are awarded to communities that show a commitment to coordinated prevention and problem intervention.

“We must create safe spaces for children to make good decisions, and the Shannon Grant program is making tremendous progress in providing improved safety in our neighborhoods,” said Governor Patrick. 

“The Shannon Grant approach, which coordinates positive youth development work, intervention with at-risk youth, and law enforcement patrols to suppress violence is making a difference,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Kevin Burke. 

Facing difficult decisions in making more than $1 billion in budget cuts last month, Governor Patrick worked to preserve funding for public safety, which in part included a $2 million increase in Shannon Grants.

The Shannon Grants have already generated success around the Commonwealth, including:

• The United Teen Equality Center Street Outreach Worker program in Lowell received approximately 30% of its funding from Shannon Grants. The center contacted 188 young people through its street outreach program, held 15 mediations with 28 gang members, and led three “peace trips” with 26 high ranking gang youth to decrease conflicts between rival gangs.

• Boston Centers for Youth & Family Urban Youth Leadership Corps (UYLC) received approximately 40% of its funding from Shannon funds. The organization hosted 485 young girls from five Boston neighborhoods providing peaceful approaches to conflict resolution.

• The Worcester Police Department, in collaboration with the MA Department of Probation, conducted 1,779 home visits to young people on probation ages 17 to 24, through its Project Night Light program.  This has helped police gather information related to past crimes and identify several new gang members. 

The recipients and their awards are listed below.

In total, $12,377,000 was granted to cities and towns, and $523,000 in grants was distributed to research partners who work directly with communities receiving Shannon grant awards.

Research partners work closely with community organizations and agencies to provide strategic thinking, critical analysis, and continuous feedback to improve program operations. Specifically, research partners collaborate with EOPSS and other research grantees to document lessons learned and facilitate information sharing though Shannon CSI, assist communities refine their understanding of local gang/youth violence, assist grantees with refining and updating their strategies to combat gang/youth violence, and assist grantees in facilitating new partnerships while sustaining existing relationships. 

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