GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU, GARY, FOR THE WARM INTRODUCTION. I WANT TO THANK THE WEED AND SEED STAFF AND CONTRACTORS FOR ORGANIZING A GREAT CONFERENCE. AND OF COURSE, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ATTENDING. A BIG THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS IN BUFFALO FOR HOSTING US AND MAKING US FEEL RIGHT AT HOME.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. ALTHOUGH I ATTENDED GRADUATE SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY, IT IS MY FIRST TIME IN THIS PART OF THE EMPIRE STATE. I HOPE TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE LOCAL SCENE. BOTH THIS JOB, AND MY PREVIOUS JOB AT FDIC REQUIRED TRAVEL. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WITH BUSINESS TRAVEL IS YOU DON'T GET TO SEE WHAT MAKES THE DESTINATION SPECIAL. RECENTLY I READ A QUOTE FROM CHARLES KURALT, THE LONG-TIME CBS REPORTER, WHO SAID, "THANKS TO THE AIRPLANE, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO TRAVEL FROM COAST TO COAST WITHOUT SEEING ANYTHING." OFTEN WHEN I RETURN FROM A TRIP MY SON WILL ASK, "'SO WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT, DALLAS OR KANSAS CITY", ETC. GENERALLY, MY ANSWER IS, "WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE HOTEL HAS A GREAT GYM OR THE HOTEL HAS A FANSTATIC CONFERNCE FACILITY." BUT HOPEFULLY, I WILL SEE A FEW SIGHTS AND GIVE MY SON THE QUALITY ANSWER HE'S REALLY AFTER ABOUT BUFFALO.

TODAY'S MESSAGE: CELEBRATING YESTERDAY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MEETING TOMORROW'S CHALLENGE

I RECENTLY JOINED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS. IT IS A REAL HONOR TO HAVE THIS POSITION; AND I AM HUMBLED BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THIS TASK.

IT IS AN HONOR BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ADMINISTER A FEDERAL EFFORT DESIGNED TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES REDUCE CRIME AND REVITALIZE STRUGGLING NEIGHBORHOODS. COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE WEED AND SEED SITE IN PICO UNION IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, WHERE I WAS RAISED. THEREFORE, THIS IS NOT AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT. AND IT IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE A LOT RIDES ON OUR MUTUAL EFFORTS. AND I SAY MUTUAL EFFORTS, BECAUSE THERE CAN BE NO OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE MY OFFICE'S MISSION. MY OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT GOALS. THE EMPHASIS IS ON YOU AND YOUR GOALS. WE DON'T HAVE A SNAPPY SLOGAN—AT LEAST NOT YET, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT. BUT IF WE DID, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE HOME DEPOT SLOGAN I RECENTLY READ: "YOU CAN DO IT, WE CAN HELP."

NOW, OF COURSE, WE FEDERAL TYPES HAVE RULES AND GUIDELINES WE MUST FOLLOW. WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN TAX PAYER TO ENSURE RESULTS AND COMPLIANCE WITH RULES. BECAUSE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ THE NEWSPAPER AND KNOW THAT ONE SCANDAL CAN HURT THE GOOD WORK OF HUNDREDS.

BUT, MEETING THE LETTER OF THE LAW IS ONLY HALF THE JOB. THE OTHER HALF, EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, AND GENERALLY MUCH MORE ENGAGING, IS ACHIEVING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW—WHICH IN THE CASE OF WEED AND SEED IS OF COURSE A REDUCTION IN CRIME AND REVITALIZED NEIGHBORHOODS. OR, IN OTHER WORDS, COMMUNITY BUILDING. AND WHY ARE WE STRIVING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES STRONGER? BECAUSE OUR LIVES ARE SO MUCH THE POORER IN THE ABSENCE OF SOCIAL ORDER AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WEED AND SEED

NOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AFTER 13 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT WEED AND SEED IS A TEENAGER AND A RELATIVELY YOUNG PROGRAM. WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF OUR EARLY STEPS AND ACCOMPLISMENTS. I KNOW IN THE DC OFFICE WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF WEED AND SEED. I AM FORTUNATE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN WELL MANAGED. AND FOR THAT I THANK ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIELS, FORMER WEED AND SEED DIRECTOR STEVE RICKMAN, BOB SAMUELS, AND THE HARD WORKING WEED AND SEED TEAM.

AFTER 13 YEARS MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AND WE CAN BE PROUD OF THE WORK. ACCORDING TO A STUDY CONCLUDED BY JUSTICE RESEARCH AND STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION, 61% OF THE WEED AND SEED SITES SURVEYED SHOWED POSITIVE OUTCOMES RELATING TO CRIME CONTROL. THESE POSITIVE OUTCOMES INCLUDE:

• REDUCTION IN CRIME GREATER THAN EXPERIENCED BY THE OVERALL JUSISDICTION IN WHICH THEY RESIDE;
• REDUCTIONS IN HOMICIDES; AND
• STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN CRIME IN THE WEED AND SEED AREAS.

AT 16 WEED AND SEED SITES, EVALUATIONS ATTEMPTED TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY POLICING. PRIMARILY THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH RESIDENT SURVEYS THAT EXAMINED RESIDENT PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY SAFETY, POLICE PERFORMANCE, POLICE PRESENCE, OR OTHER MEASURES RELATING TO CRIME AND SAFETY IN THEIR COMMUNITY. 13 OF THE 16 SITES EVALUATED NOTED POSITIVE RESULTS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FINDING. THOSE OF YOU IN LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOW THAT PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY ARE OFTEN REINFORCED BY COMMUNITY ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO FURTHER SAFETY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, PERCEPTIONS OF LOW SAFETY OFTEN LEAD TO ACTIONS FUTHER REDUCING ACTUAL SAFETY. SO, WITH RESULTS LIKE THESE, CLEARLY WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. BUT WE CANNOT BE SATISFIED WITH OUR PROGRESS. WE NEED TO PUSH AHEAD. WE NEED TO BRING OUR ADOLESCENT WEED AND SEED TEEN TO THE NEXT STAGE IN ITS EVOLUTION.

WHICH IS WHY A NEW OFFICE-THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WAS CREATED

THE OFFICE IS A RELECTION OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIELS' GOAL OF ASSISTING COMMUNITIES AROUND AMERICA AS THEY SEEK TO PREVENT CRIME, INCREASE COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE OFFICE WILL INCORPORATE THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WEED AND SEED INITIATIVE AS WELL AS THE AGENCY'S AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE AFFAIRS DESK. THIS WILL ENABLE IT TO BETTER ADDRESS THE CRIME CONTROL ISSUES OF URBAN, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

MS. DANIELS SAID IT BEST IN HER MARCH 15 PRESS RELEASE, "THE CCDO IS AN EXCITING CONCEPT THAT BRINGS INTO FOCUS OUR AGENCY'S CORE MISSION OF WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS THAT DETER CRIME, PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE NEW OFFICE WILL INCORPORATE WEED AND SEED'S PROVEN APPROACH TO COMMUNITY-LEVEL STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION INTO OTHER PREVENTION INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION EFFORTS."

ESSENTIALLY, CCDO WILL EXPAND THE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN, COLLABORATIVE APPROACH OF WEED AND SEED TO OTHER PROGRAMS, PERHAPS OFFENDER REENTRY. CCDO WILL FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE RESULTS THAT REDUCE CRIME AND AFFECT POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE AS REFLECTED IN YOUR LOCAL PLANS. CCDO WILL FOCUS ON LEVERAGING RESOURCES. CCDO WILL FOCUS ON PROVIDING TRAINING THAT CAN ASSIST LOCAL LEADERS TO IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE RESULTS.

JUSTICE IS MY THIRD FEDERAL EMPLOYER. WHILE EACH AGENCY IS UNIQUE, THEY ALSO SHARE SIMILAR IDEOLOGIES. ONE OF THESE IS THE NOTION OF BEST PRACTICES. SIMPLY PUT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOVES PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES AND PROMISING PRACTICES AND SEEING THOSE PRACTICES COME TO FRUITION THROUGH SOLID AND EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION PRACTICES.

INCIDENTLY, TO DIGRESS FOR A MOMENT, THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR THE BRITISH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—HOW DO I KNOW THIS. I GUESS I WATCH TOO MUCH C-SPAN.

BUT ANYWAY, BEST PRACTICES IS A CONCEPT WEED AND SEED TAKES SERIOUSLY. AND IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO PRACTICE THE PRINCIPLES WE PROMOTE,--RIGHT?

WELL, WHAT MAKES WEED AND SEED A BEST PRACTICE? WHAT MAKES IT SOMETHING THAT REALLY WORKS? IT WORKS BECAUSE IT IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS FOR LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT THAT INCORPORATES THE "C"S OF PLANNING. WHAT ARE THE 5 "C"s? COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED, CONSISTENT, CONTINUOUS AND COLLABORATIVE.

AS NOTED EARLIER, WEED AND SEED HAS DEMONSTRATED A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MANY COMMUNITIES. AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN? WEED AND SEED FACILITATED PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. IT ENCOURAGED POOLING OF RESOURCES. IT SET COMMON GOALS. IT IS THESE VERY PRINICPLES OF WEED AND SEED THAT WILL GUIDE THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE EFFORTS AS WELL.

HOW WILL CCDO DO IT

OKAY, NOW THAT SOUNDS GREAT, RIGHT? BUT HOW EXACTLY ARE WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? WELL, --- I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE I'VE GOT THE MAKINGS OF AN ANSWER, BUT NOT THE ANSWER. LIKE MY SON'S QUESTIONS ABOUT PLACES, I NEED HELP FROM EXPERTS FROM THE FIELD. I AM OPEN TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE ALL IDEAS ARE WELCOMED AND IF NOTHING ELSE, I AM A VERY PRACTICAL PERSON. AS CHINA'S PREMIER DENG XIAOPING ONCE SAID, "WHETHER, THE CAT IS BLACK OR WHITE, ONLY WHETHER HE CAN CATCH THE MICE". SO LET ME GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF MY PRELIMINARY IDEAS.

WE ARE GOING TO EMPHASIZE COORDINATION AND LEVERAGING OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EFFORTS AND RESOURCES WITHIN OR AVAILABLE TO STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TRIBES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. IN OUR SOLICITATIONS WE WILL ENCOURAGE THE MIXING AND MATCHING OF SUCH RESOURCES. AND WHEN WE REVIEW APPLICATIONS, WE WILL BE MORE FAVORABLE TO THOSE APPLICATIONS DEMONSTRATING COORDINATION AND LEVERAGING.

WE WILL ENCOURAGE MORE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS THAT EXPLORE A RANGE OF TAILORED SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. INNOVATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT APPROACHES MUST BE CONSIDERED. NOT ALL OF THESE INNOVATIONS ARE GOING TO WORK. BUT WE ARE GOING TO WORK FROM ALL OF THEM.

AS AN OFFICE, CCDO NEEDS TO RAISE THE VISIBILITY OF WEED AND SEED AND SECURE ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE AMONG THE ELITE FEDERAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. FOR INSTANCE, WE NEED TO UTILIZE MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT OUR RESULTS. TO QUOTE MAE WEST "IT'S BETTER TO BE LOOKED OVER THAN OVERLOOKED"

WE MUST BE DILIGENT IN PROMOTING THE WORK OF WEED AND SEED AMONG FEDERAL AGENCIES AND MAJOR FOUNDATIONS AS THEY DEVELOP AND REVIEW SOLICITATIONS. OR, WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING FOR MODELS OF LOCAL COLLABORATION AND/OR WHEN THEY NEED A VEHICLE BY WHICH TO REACH AND ENGAGE LOCAL ENTITIES IN PURSUIT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS LOOKING FOR A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM DESIGNED TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES DO NOT NEED TO CREATE A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. ONE ALREADY EXISTS-IT'S CALLED WEED AND SEED. THE HEAVY LIFTING IS DONE. AND YOU ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. RIGHT? RIGHT!

THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WILL PLACE A STRONGER FOCUS ON PROVIDING INFORMATION, TRAINING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WE CURRENTLY FUND AND SPONSOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOING SO AND DO IT EVEN BETTER. THEREFORE, WE WILL CONSOLIDATE THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING AND THE TRAINERS.

LOOK FOR OUR WEB SITE TO BE ENHANCED. I BELIEVE THE WEB SITE IS AN UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE. IT CLEARLY IS THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE: IT'S QUICK, EASY AND RELATIVELY CHEAP. IT CAN BE USED TO SHARE INFORMATION, LINK THOSE ENGAGED IN SIMILAR PURSUITS, AND BE A POTENTIAL FORUM FOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLICY, METHODOLOGY, AND PERFORMANCE. AND PERHAPS—PERHAPS, COULD BE THE MEDIUM FOR PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FUTURE.

FUTURE CHALLENGES

CONSIDER THIS: WE DRIVE INTO THE FUTURE USING ONLY OUR REVIEW MIRROR. THUS, MAKING PREDICTIONS IS A RISKY BUSINESS! BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE THE PRESSURES ON THE FEDERAL BUDGET AND THE MANY COMPETING PRIORITIES. THAT IS WHY FEDERAL PROGRAMS MUST BE COMPETITIVE. WE KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FOCUSED ON RESULTS. SO, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU.

WELL, CLEARLY IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WEED AND SEED WILL BE COMPETING WITH OTHER IMPORTANT NATIONAL PRIORITIES FOR LIMITED FUNDING. WE WILL BE COMPETING WITH MANY GREAT AND WORTHY GOALS, E.G. FIGHTING TERRORISM, HOMELESSNESS, TRANSPORTATION, SPACE EXPLORATION, ETC. GRANTED, WEED AND SEED IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET. $58M OUT OF A TOTAL FEDERAL BUDGET OF WELL OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS. TRILLION WITH A "T". BUT REMEMBER AS WE HAVE EMPHASIZED IN THE PAST, WEED AND SEED IS NOT A GRANT PROGRAM. IT IS A STRATEGIC WAY OF RESOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE VIEWED AS ONE OF MANY TOOLS TO ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS.

NEVERTHELESS, WEED AND SEED MUST BE COMPETITIVE.

SO, HOW DO WE SHOW THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE? IN MY VIEW, THE KEY IS RELEVANT PERFORMANCE MEASURES, DEMONSTRATING OUTCOME—BASED RESULTS AND SUSTAINING THE EFFORT BEYOND THE LIMITED TIME OF FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT. THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF GOING FORWARD, BUT ONLY ONE WAY OF STANDING STILL AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO STAND STILL WHEN IT COMES TO DOCUMENTING RESULTS.

RESULTS LIKE THE KIND I MENTIONED EARLIER. RESULTS THAT ARE OUTCOME—BASED. CONGRESS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS PROPOSED A COMMISSION TO REVIEW FEDERAL PROGRAMS WITH AN EYE TOWARD MEASURING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. SO THIS TELLS US ALL THE MORE THAT RESULTS COUNT. AND WE MUST PRODUCE RESULTS IN OUR WEED & SEED PROGRAM, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE BEEN DOING." FORTUNATELY, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE ENGAGED IN OUTCOME—BASED RESEARCH. WE NEED TO ANTICIPATE AND BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO POTENTIAL FEDERAL INITIATIVE REGARDING PERFORMANCE.

FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE UNDERSTAKEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE. NOT ONLY HAVE WE ENGAGED RESEARCHERS TO HELP US DEVELOP MEANINGFUL PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT ARE OUTCOME—BASED, WE ARE ALSO ENGAGING WEED AND SEED SITES IN THE PROCESS. HERE IN BUFFALO AND IN INDIANAPOLIS WE ARE CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS WITH WEED AND SEED PRACTIONERS. THE GROUPS IS TO SOLICIT IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM PRATIONERS REGARDING PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES. WE MUST FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON ACHIEVEMENT. WE MUST HEED THE WORDS OF THE GREATEST BASKETBALL COLLEGE COACH OF ALL TIME—JOHN WOODEN—WHO COACHED AT THE FINEST UNIVERSITY IN AMERICA, UCLA, SORRY TO THOSE OF YOU FROM USC "DON'T CONFUSE ACTIVITY WITH ACHIEVEMENT."

CONCLUSION

IN CLOSING LET ME ONCE AGAIN THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN PUTTING ON THIS CONFERENCE. AND, OF COURSE, ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TO BUFFALO. THE TREMENDOUS TURNOUT REFLECTS WELL ON THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS. THE AGENDA IS PACKED WITH GREAT SESSIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MANY YEARS AHEAD. TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES. TO FOCUSING ON RESULTS. AND TO SUSTAINING THOSE RESULTS. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON US. WE CANNOT LET THEM DOWN. AND TOGETHER WE WILL NOT LET THEM DOWN. REMEMBER WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD.