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Home My WebLink AboutIR 10122 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10122 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council March 27, 2018 h�T�i7 Page 1 of 4 �i �i7 Y SUBJECT: Youth Crime & Community Support #qrF rn Yg7'3 There were a total of 1816 juvenile arrests recorded in Fort Worth during 2017. This was down by (5.7%) from 2016 which had 1926 arrests. - Violent Crime 674 - Property Crime 391 - Drug Offenses 200 - Other(trespass, curfew, disorderly conduct, etc.) 551 The City of Fort Worth has had a juvenile curfew ordinance in place since 1996 which has appeared to help limit unsupervised juvenile activity late into the nighttime hours. The curfew hours established under city ordinance are from 11:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m. on Sunday-Thursday, and 12:00 midnight through 6:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. These hours are in effect through the year 2020. The School Resource Officer program is a cooperative effort where school administrators and School Resource Officers (SRO's)work in sync to ensure a safe environment at schools and take action towards the prevention of crime. SRO positions offer a perfect opportunity to engage students on a day to day basis. This is a major advantage to building relationships between the student and the police officer that boosts the SRO's approachability factor. That constant presence builds the student's confidence in the SRO and it ultimately increase their trust in the police. When all this is combined together, student youth are more eager to participate in non-criminal intervention programs. Juvenile arrests that do not involve violence or delinquent conduct rising to the level of a Yd degree felony, state jail felony, or misdemeanor involving violence to any person or possession of a firearm, illegal knife, or club are eligible for the offender to enter the Second Opportunity for Success crime diversion program. This program is offered through the Lena Pope Home and it is designed to rehabilitate first time juvenile offenders of Fort Worth. Participation by both the juvenile offender and their parent or guardian is required in order to successfully complete the program and have an offense dismissed. Juvenile offenses that do not meet the listed criteria will not be eligible for the program and instead are referred to Tarrant County Juvenile Services for disposition. Fort Worth Police Worth Police Department Juvenile Initiatives Juvenile Initiatives The Fort Worth Police Department offers social skills training for our youth through a variety of programs designed to reduce crime and increase the number of positive interactions with youth. The following are FWPD related juvenile initiatives: Teen Academy: The Fort Worth Police Teen Academy offers a 6 week education based program which focuses on public service, with an emphasis on law enforcement. Students who demonstrate a strong desire and possess professionalism, integrity, and community values are invited to attend Teen Academy. The program is offered twice a school year for students between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10122 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council March 27, 2018 h�T�i7 Page 2 of 4 �i �i7 Y SUBJECT: Youth Crime & Community Support #qrF rn Y@73 FWPD Explorer Program: The FWPD Explorer Program enables young people to become responsible individuals by teaching positive character traits, career development, leadership and life skills so that they can make responsible ethical decisions and achieve their full potential. Fort Worth Police Athletic League (PAL): The PAL program focuses on police mentorship of youth through athletic participation. This program began in 2017, and currently involves police officers and community leaders who coach and mentor youths during FWPD sponsored athletic events. The PAL works to unite communities in Fort Worth with police by providing youth programs that motivate, inspire, and develop confidence, trust, and respect. Read2Win: Read 2 Win is sponsored by Tarrant Net. The program promotes strong literacy in early childhood development. FWPD personnel at various levels in the organization serve as volunteer reading coaches in this mentoring program. The program extends to 85 FWISD elementary schools, and is aimed at 1St grade students. Programs Offered Through Parks and Recreation Department After School Programs: Support efforts to increase the safety of youth and reduce juvenile crime through crime prevention and intervention programs. Boys and Girls Club of Greater Fort Worth: The Safe Haven Youth Program at Martin Boys & Girls Club is a crime prevention program operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Fort Worth that provides a safe environment for after school programming to Polytechnic-area at-risk youth between the ages of 6 and 18. Program staff provide quality enrichment programs in dedicated rooms at the Martin Boys & Girls Club site, including the education room, computer room, gym, social recreation area, art room, and teen room. Some of the services include alcohol/drug prevention programs, cultural enrichment activities, education enhancement activities and recreational activities. Comin' Up Gang Intervention Up Intervention Program: The Comin' Up Gang Intervention Program provides intervention services to gang-involved youth starting at the age of 13. The program provides access to services to help youth avoid negative and destructive behaviors. The CCPD funds six Comin' Up Gang Intervention Program sites, including Diamond Hill, Hillside,Near Southside (Panther),Northside, Poly, and Stop Six. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth operate all of these programs. CCPD provides the Comin' Up Gang Intervention program with staff and supplies to serve approximately 680 youth nightly Monday through Friday. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10122 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council March 27, 2018 h�T�i7 Page 3 of 4 �i �i7 Y SUBJECT: Youth Crime & Community Support #qrF rn Yg7'3 Crime Prevention Agency Partnership (Safe City Commission) Advocacy Program: The Advocacy Program provides Safe City Commission with resources for crime prevention public education materials and training opportunities for law enforcement, social service providers, and citizens. Community Based Programs Girls Incorporated: The Girls Inc. Prevention and Leadership program at Washington Heights Elementary School Program addresses the problems of youth violence, substance abuse, and other crime by delivering programs that increase protective factors and decrease risk factors for girls. Washington Heights Elementary School is located in Fort Worth's Northside community zip code 76106, which has high rates of crime, truancy and school dropout, and substance abuse. Girls Inc. provides research-based programs during and after school in a safe, supportive and mentoring environment on the campus of Washington Heights Elementary School. Safe Haven of Tarrant County: Safe Haven of Tarrant County's Safe Kids program is intended to break the cycle of domestic violence by providing school-age children and youth with the knowledge, skills and resources to recognize and respond appropriately to abusive, controlling behaviors in their family and dating/intimate relationships. Domestic violence is a crime that affects families of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds and every socioeconomic category. Lena Pope Home,Inc.: Research indicates that juvenile offenders face many barriers to leading a life free of future crime and violence, including truancy, family instability, and substance abuse or mental health issues. Texas has higher rates of juvenile detention than the national average, which creates significant community costs. Lena Pope's Second Opportunity for Success®program works to rehabilitate first offending youth in the community. Bethlehem Program: The Safe Haven Youth Program at the Bethlehem Center is a prevention program operated by the United Community Center(UCC) that provides a safe environment for after school programming for at-risk children and youth. The program's central purpose is to address factors that lead to at-risk behavior at home and school. In addition to the above, certain Class C offenses occurring on school campuses are classified as School Offenses and have been decriminalized. These offenses have typically involved disruption of the class environment in some way and are now handled administratively within the districts. Although officers can initiate complaints regarding these offenses, it is now up to the local prosecutors whether or not to pursue a Class C Misdemeanor in the case. Truancy has also been decriminalized, although the ISDs can still defer students to truancy court. Attendance officers, as prescribed by the Texas ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10122 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council March 27, 2018 r Page 4 of 4 SUBJECT: Youth Crime & Community Support x r�Fa Education Code, are allowed to take a child into custody to escort them back to campus if confirmed to be truant. If you have any questions or would like additional information regarding youth crime or any of the programs outlined above please contact Chief Kenneth Dean at 817-392-4130 or at Kenneth.W.Dean(c�r�,fortworthtexas.gov. David Cooke City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS