Title: Spring 2002 Weed & Seed In-Sites Magazine Series: Magazine Author: Executive Office for Weed and Seed Published: Spring 2002 Subject: Weed & Seed programs, community policing, crime prevention, community justice, domestic violence, drug abuse prevention and education 43 pages 102,400 bytes ---------------------------- Illustrations and captions are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from NCJRS at 800-851-3420 (877-712-9279 for TTY users). ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Executive Office for Weed and Seed Volume X, Number 1 Spring 2002 Weed & Seed In-Sites MAGAZINE Now Entering A WEED AND SEED COMMUNITY ---------------------------- Weed & Seed In-Sites is a publication of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Executive Office for Weed and Seed 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-1152 Fax: 202-616-1159 www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows ---------------------------- Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/abouteow.htm to learn about the functions of EOWS and its staff and www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/insites.htm for information on submitting articles and comments. ---------------------------- Contents Letter From the Director What's Working o Law Enforcement o Strategy Implementation o Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment From the Field DEFY Winners Departments ---------------------------- Letter From the Director I want to begin by thanking you for all the good things you are doing in your communities. You are Weed and Seed. The goal at EOWS is to provide tools to help you in your efforts. This year, we are able to offer you additional assistance. First, Weed and Seed can offer sites more funding than last year. The U.S. Department of Justice appropriation for Weed and Seed for 2002 was increased by $25 million to help bring on new sites and improve program evaluation. In addition, all 2002 Weed and Seed applicants can apply for up to $50,000 in additional funds for the investigation, prosecution, and prevention of violent crimes and drug offenses in public, Indian, and federally financed housing. This additional funding is being made available through the 2002 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act. And this is just the beginning. We will work this year to do more with other Federal agencies and the private sector to identify funding and training resources that you can add to your Weed and Seed strategies. These additional resources will help you focus on the results of your strategies and sustain these results by leveraging resources from other Federal agencies and partnering with private organizations, including local faith-based and community-based organizations. We also want to recognize the coordination efforts that are the heart of Weed and Seed by initiating a series of Coordination Honor Awards this year. Weed and Seed sites are getting great support and additional resources from the Office of Justice Programs thanks to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Deborah Daniels (the first Director of EOWS) and Terry Donahue, Acting Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (the second Director of EOWS). Former EOWS Director Steve Rickman is also continuing to help communities through his current assignment as Director of Readiness at the Office of Homeland Security. Weed and Seed has been very fortunate to have such committed and effective leadership, and we were very happy to have those three former directors participate in the FY 2002 Application Kit Workshop in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the end of February. They provided additional guidance to participants, and we all had the opportunity to honor them and thank them for their contributions to the program. We also had the opportunity to hear Steve give us his patented 'Helllooo Weeders and Seeders' greeting and witness some musical memories and moving moments as sites from around the country gave Steve gifts and hugs. The February workshop was a great event and one that reminded us once again that Weed and Seed's key resources are your good will, your good sense, and your initiative. Please let us know how we can better help you in your efforts. Bob Samuels Acting Director, EOWS ---------------------------- What's Working Law Enforcement Weed and Seed Links State Law Enforcement to Utah Communities In the mid-1990s, as the drug methamphetamine (also known as meth, crank, ice, crystal meth, and poor man's cocaine) started to surface in more communities in the western region of the United States, the Federal Government responded by appropriating more resources to support law enforcement with meth-related investigations, training, and peer-to-peer networking. Both Federal and local law enforcement agencies found that by collaborating, they could best respond to their newest challenge--the production, distribution, and use of methamphetamine. ---------------------------- Last year, with the support of Utah's West Valley City and Salt Lake City Weed and Seed sites, a task force effort involving more than 15 agencies collaborated to bring down a methamphetamine neighborhood cartel. ---------------------------- To complement the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ's) ongoing awareness and enforcement campaigns, EOWS coordinated a 1-day Methamphetamine Workshop in July 2001. The workshop brought law enforcement and site representatives together from across the country to share their experiences and best approaches to eradicating clandestine meth labs--facilities where methamphetamine is easily produced. Site representatives also shared the most effective ways to inform the public that meth is a threat to public health. In 2001, EOWS produced and aired a 1-hour broadcast, Crime in Rural America, on the Law Enforcement Television Network (LETN) as part of its Community Training Series. The show included firsthand testimony from officers of rural Weed and Seed sites that are affected by methamphetamine production. The officers shared their approaches to working with local retailers who carry the common ingredients needed for the drug's production. Their testimony also demonstrated the potential for methamphetamine activities to filter into more concentrated areas. As Weed and Seed sites become more experienced in facing the challenges associated with the methamphetamine enterprise, EOWS will continue to update them via its Web site and In-Sites Magazine and encourage them to learn about current trends related to methamphetamine. Sites should then transfer their knowledge to the community. For example, a Weed and Seed site in Omaha, Nebraska, posted a fact sheet on its Web site about methamphetamine and tips on reporting suspected meth lab operations. In Lakewood, California, the local Weed and Seed site educated its residents about current drug trends through coordinated "Drug Awareness and Meth Lab Awareness Training." Listed below are just a few resources available from DOJ and on the Internet to help put sites "in the know." o Crime in Rural America. This EOWS-produced broadcast is available on VHS. To order a copy, call EOWS at 202-616-1152 or e-mail Mary Breen at breenm@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Drug Facts. Part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Web site, this page (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact) has resources to help you draft community outreach material on methamphetamine and various other drugs. o Methamphetamine Interagency Task Force Final Report. Published by the National Institute of Justice, this report includes information that is important to both communities and law enforcement professionals. View the document online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/methintf. o Omaha Weed and Seed Web site. This Web site (www.unomaha.edu/~wwwpa/weed&seed) offers community-friendly facts and tips about methamphetamine. o Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Web site. This online resource (www.dea.gov) details enforcement activities supported by DEA, including Operation Mountain Express--an initiative that celebrates much success in the war against methamphetamine. Weed and Seed Helps Facilitate Utah's Two-Pronged Approach to Law Enforcement In 1998, Salt Lake City, Utah, was selected as one of six cities to participate in an antimethamphetamine pilot project coordinated through DOJ's COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Office. Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, said the goal of the program was to get all of the groups that were fighting the meth problem in Utah to work as one large unit. Salt Lake City was not necessarily selected for the COPS Methamphetamine Initiative because of a rampant meth problem, said Rydalch, but rather for the strong statewide network already in place practiced with methamphetamine drug enforcement. The network included agencies that were ready to promote awareness of methamphetamine as a public safety issue. Paul Warner, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, crusaded on behalf of the western United States and, in 1999, testified to the Senate Judicial Committee in Washington, D.C. "I can tell you without exaggeration that the meth problem in Utah today is the most serious criminal threat to public safety that we face," said Warner. He helped promote awareness of the methamphetamine epidemic in the western region and helped introduce legislation that would later bring agents and prosecutors the tools they needed to fight methamphetamine production. In the past 3 years, as agencies in Utah have worked together to coordinate their enforcement efforts, three communities in the Salt Lake City area organized Weed and Seed strategies that demanded removal of the criminal element from their neighborhoods. The connection was made, and Weed and Seed helped enforcement agencies coordinate investigations in two of the targeted communities as part of their "weeding" strategy. On February 10, 2001, local law enforcement task forces West Valley CLEAR (Community Law Enforcement and Response) and Neighborhood Narcotics Unit linked the statewide meth team to the Weed and Seed area. Together, more than 100 police officers and Federal agents from 15 agencies were involved in the breakup of a methamphetamine business that centered around three homes and two auto body shops in the West Valley City Weed and Seed neighborhood. The task force spent 6 months investigating the suspected operation in the Weed and Seed target area. The bust provided law enforcement with a look at how sophisticated the meth operations were. Police found large quantities of chemicals, glassware, and other equipment needed to support meth production. After warrants were served at the targeted properties, detectives went on a 4-day search warrant marathon, digging up similar meth-production materials in storage sheds and rental properties. The sweep sent a clear message to the neighborhood that continued criminal activity would not be tolerated. The investigation mirrored a strategy for enforcement that U.S. Attorney Warner detailed in his 1999 testimony to the U.S. Senate. The strategy suggested that Utah's law enforcement concentrate on two fronts--homegrown clandestine labs and the so-called Mexican meth (methamphetamine that is produced in large labs in Mexico and brought into the United States.) "With sufficient--not extravagant--resources, Federal law enforcement, in partnership with our State and local colleagues, can turn the corner on the proliferation of methamphetamine in our communities," said Warner. In nearby Salt Lake City, the local Weed and Seed site supported an investigation of drug trafficking organizations in the target area, which led to the destruction of another meth operation. The investigation brought charges against 50 individuals, including the directors of two organizations responsible for importing 50 pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of pounds of marijuana from Mexico. All subjects were charged after an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Weber/Morgan Narcotics Strike Force, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, DEA, Northern Utah Criminal Apprehension Team, and Utah National Guard's Counter Drug Program. The subjects are facing various Federal charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah under Warner's leadership. To read about how each of the six selected cities incorporated statewide partnerships, community policing, public service announcements, and nuisance abatement in response to methamphetamine, visit www.usdoj.gov/cops/gpa/grant_prog/methan. Combating Methamphetamine Production "It's going to take every one of us--DEA agents, State and local law enforcement, prevention and treatment specialists, journalists, and educators--if we are going to a make a real difference in communities devastated by methamphetamine," said DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson at a 2-day summit held in the State of Washington last summer. The summit was a multiagency effort coordinated to develop local plans to prevent and reduce methamphetamine use. Visit www.dea.gov for an update on Operation Mountain Express I, II, and III--an initiative that has led to more than 300 arrests and the seizure of 30 tons of pseudoephedrine (a main ingredient of methamphetamine), 181 pounds of methamphetamine, 9 clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, and more than $16 million in U.S. currency. Elder Abuse Task Force of Midcoast Maine Patricia Kimball When the Steering Committee of Midcoast Weed and Seed in Bath, Maine, outlined their 2001 Weed and Seed Continuation Application, they identified a plan to tap into the resources and expertise of TRIAD to help them reach out to their elderly population. The local TRIAD chapter's expertise and dedication to elder abuse prevention were resources the community could certainly incorporate into its Weed and Seed strategy. TRIAD was started on the national level in 1988 by three national organizations--the American Association of Retired Persons, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police--to encourage partnership among senior citizens, sheriffs, and police to address elder safety issues and enhance delivery of law enforcement services to this population. TRIAD supporters believe that this approach is true community policing because it provides better service to a population that appreciates, respects, and supports law enforcement. Since 1989, 745 jurisdictions in 47 States have replicated the national TRIAD model. Growing concern over the increasing victimization of the elderly in the Weed and Seed target area led to a series of meetings for community residents, countywide agency representatives, and the local TRIAD chapter (consisting of senior residents and law enforcement partners from the towns of Topsham, Georgetown, Brunswick, Bath, and West Bath). A brainstorming meeting led to the development of the Elder Abuse Task Force. Since its formation in March 2001, the Elder Abuse Task Force has worked to develop and implement a pilot community education campaign in Bath to raise community awareness of elder abuse, teach the community how to report and respond to such abuse, and develop and strengthen systems that support elderly victims and their families. Based on the results of this pilot project, the task force hopes to reach out to other towns in the region. ---------------------------- Between 1995 and 2010, the population of people age 85 and older is expected to increase by 56 percent, presenting communities with a growing challenge to protect them from becoming victims of crime. Midcoast Weed and Seed formed an Elder Abuse Task Force to fine-tune their crime prevention efforts. ---------------------------- Operation Fraudstop and Other Resources for Elder Justice The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains a Web portal for all department-related resources, including research publications, reports, task force activities, press releases, and funding. Visit www.usdoj.gov/elderjustice.htm to learn more about DOJ's elder justice activities. Also, DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc) offers links and resources for victims of crime and local organizations and agencies that serve these victims. ---------------------------- The audiences targeted for the campaign include law enforcement; legal, medical, and religious communities; banks and other financial institutions; and the general public. The task force intends to define forms of abuse--including financial and material exploitation, self-neglect, and emotional and psychological abuse by a family member or caregiver--that often are overlooked with senior citizens, educate the community regarding the concerns of these populations and the specialized systems needed to support them, and ask the community to be responsible for the care of its elders by getting involved. The membership of the Elder Abuse Task Force is strengthened by a commitment from a diverse group of agencies. The Protective Program Administrator, Maine Department of Human Services; Director of Agency and Community Services, United Way of Midcoast Maine; Sexual Abuse Supportive Services Director, Sagadahoc County Sheriff; and a retired senior volunteer all work together to address the needs of elderly people in the community. Through its monthly meetings, the Elder Abuse Task Force developed a game plan to launch its community education campaign. Seniors in the area were surveyed to ascertain their knowledge of abuse and its prevalence in the community. This information was vital in producing the educational material to be distributed. Each task force member has participated in a train-the-trainer session to learn about the victimization of elderly people and the community resources that serve the senior population. Word is spreading quickly; in the first 8 months of operation, task force members were featured on the local news and a local cable talk show to raise public awareness of the issue. By forming this community partnership and developing the educational campaign, Midcoast Weed and Seed plans to promote mobilization within the community--thus heightening the community's response against elder abuse- -and support the victims of these crimes. ---------------------------- Tapping Into TRIAD's Resources The National Association of Triads, Inc. (NATI), is a tax-exempt affiliate corporation of the National Sheriffs' Association that was formed in 1999. It acts as an umbrella organization that provides advice, support, technical assistance, and training to local TRIADs throughout the United States. NATI distributes guidebooks, information packets, and informational videos to interested parties on request. Its immediate focus is to provide support to the many State TRIAD councils, to expand the council's roles in each State, and to offer the tools needed for States to promote senior safety. Weed and Seed sites interested in working with an established TRIAD collaborative should visit www.sheriffs.org/triad.htm. This Web site, maintained by the National Sheriffs' Association, includes listings of State TRIADs across the country! ---------------------------- Weed and Seed Hosts First Project Safe Neighborhoods Regional Training Carol Neylan On December 13, 2001, the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Delaware and EOWS cosponsored the first regional 1-day training to educate Weed and Seed sites about the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, in Wilmington, Delaware. In attendance were Weed and Seed site coordinators, EOWS staff members, local prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and law enforcement officers representing Weed and Seed sites in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C. Project Safe Neighborhoods was highlighted by Attorney General John Ashcroft during his keynote address at the Weed and Seed 2001 National Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PSN encourages partnerships between law enforcement and the community to reduce the number of violent crimes committed by people with firearms. The five components of Project Safe Neighborhoods--partnerships, strategic planning, training, effective outreach, and accountability--provide Weed and Seed with great resources that complement local efforts in sites across the country. Weed and Seed sites often are recognized for their ability to form, sustain, and expand creative partnerships, as well as their vision and ability to plan effective neighborhood strategies. Through PSN, U.S. Attorneys' Offices receive additional resources that complement and boost Weed and Seed efforts to reduce the number of illegal handguns in communities nationwide. PSN also dedicates resources to promoting gun-violence awareness and methods for effective conflict resolution. The regional training offered site representatives and USAO staff the opportunity to exchange information about the prevalence of gun violence and illegally possessed handguns in their communities. It also gave the Office of Justice Programs an opportunity to further educate the region on the details and goals of the PSN initiative. The agenda included an overview of the initiative and a session on Federal gun laws conducted by U.S. Attorney Colm F. Connolly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Prettyman (District of Delaware). A presentation was offered about the well-known gun violence reduction model referred to in many States as "Project Ceasefire." Many Project Ceasefire practices serve as components of the PSN initiative, including a focus on education and intervention, strength in collaboration, and increased resources to support local prosecution. In addition, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Special Agent Walter Dandridge gave a presentation on gun tracing. Former FBI Fellow Lt. Kevin Yorke from the New York Police Department's Brooklyn Gang Unit attended the training and shared his working knowledge of firearm use among gang members. Lt. David Allender, currently finishing his FBI Fellowship at EOWS and FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., presented information about firearm detection and recovery. EOWS will continue to promote Project Safe Neighborhoods throughout the country. Additional workshops will be coordinated in the coming year. If your site would like to host a PSN training, offering your region the opportunity to enhance gun-violence reduction approaches, please contact your EOWS program manager. ---------------------------- On January 23, 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that 154 State and local prosecutors' offices will collectively receive $36 million in funding. The funds will be used to hire 309 new prosecutors. Additional awards, making up the balance of the $70 million allotted for Project Safe Neighborhoods, are expected to be announced in April. "Project Safe Neighborhoods is a new national strategy that will get gun wielding criminals off our streets and out of our neighborhoods," said the Attorney General. "These new Federal, State, and local prosecutors will ensure that our gun laws are vigorously enforced so that our citizens will be protected from gun violence." Visit the new Project Safe Neighborhoods Web site (www.projectsafeneighborhoods.gov) for updates on advancements in gun-violence reduction, funding distribution, and announcements. ---------------------------- An Update From the Weed and Seed Site Coordinators Listserv All information exchanged on the Weed and Seed Site Coordinators (WSSC) Listserv is organized and posted at the EOWS On-Line Community Center. In-Sites publishes some of this information to support features in the magazine and encourages readers to visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/commcent.htm, where great ideas, exchanges, and resources are posted. Information on the listserv provides a look at what implementation approaches are effective and how these approaches, if expanded, can promote mobilization efforts. For example, when a listserv member posted a question regarding programming for youth in the community, the responses included approaches to help the site's unattended youth while providing activities for its senior population. Question We have a problem with unattended kids roaming around our area, especially in the apartment complexes and at a few of the area businesses. Some of these children are very young. We feel that some of the parents may still be working after school hours or asleep because they have worked all night. Have any other sites had to deal with this problem, and if so, how was it addressed? --Barb Heffner, Lima, Ohio, Weed and Seed Answers Seniors as Mentors At the Contra Costa, California, site, we developed a mentorship program for seniors that linked them with youth. As part of the initial acceptance of Weed and Seed, seniors in the North Richmond area--a part of the Weed and Seed neighborhood--wondered why there were no programs for them. This mentorship program was a response to their request. Various sources funded six new sewing machines and sewing supplies. The site coordinator started the program, ran it for the first 6 months, and then handed operations over to a professional sewing instructor, who happened to be a resident. The seniors worked with the youth over the summer. Eventually, costs for supplies were assumed by another collaboration. The program became highly visible in a community that was initially resistant to Weed and Seed. Having the site coordinator sew for them initially was considered a big novelty. The project even brought former gang members together with the seniors for a few sewing sessions. That was a big surprise for us. --Suzanne Linford, Site Coordinator, Contra Costa County, California, Weed and Seed Grandmothers Step Forward To Care for Unattended Youth In Dyersburg, Tennessee, we found ourselves in the same situation. In one neighborhood, the Bruce Community, we challenged the residents at a local community meeting to take up the slack that was obviously left by some parents who worked late or just simply weren't taking care of business. In response, a couple of grandmothers from the Bruce neighborhood started gathering the children in their homes several afternoons each week to help them with homework, play games, teach them to bake cookies, and do little community projects. They would give the children garbage bags and walk around the neighborhood picking up trash on the sides of the street. In a few months, they had made the entire neighborhood look much more attractive. The local Weed and Seed Steering Committee gave the grandmothers an incentive by allocating a small stipend each month to help them purchase some craft supplies, and then quarterly we'd help them plan a trip, for example, to Memphis to visit museums or to Nashville to visit the State capital. This initiative by a couple of grandmothers significantly changed the neighborhood. Nonetheless, the Weed and Seed Steering Committee had to first sit down with the residents, discuss options, and deliver a challenge. It takes time and patience. --Capt. Stan Cavness, Site Coordinator, Dyersburg, Tennessee, Weed and Seed Go to the WSSC Listserv to view more dialog! Strategy Implementation City Joins Hands With Lagrange Community in Toledo, Ohio Like many old neighborhoods, the Lagrange neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio, prides itself on heritage and tradition. The area is characterized by churches, schools, butcher shops, boutiques, and hardware stores. In 1981, community businessowners and residents came together and identified the need to maintain their heritage, improve their business corridor, and eliminate problems in the community that could threaten their quality of life. They created a community development corporation called the Lagrange Development Corporation (LDC). ---------------------------- In the past year, In-Sites has received several pieces of "good news" from Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed in Toledo, Ohio. After a little research, In-Sites found that Lagrange's story demonstrates Weed and Seed strategy development, implementation, and evaluation at its finest. Here we provide an overview of this relatively new site to demonstrate how the leadership of a local community development corporation can help a site reach its goals quickly and develop a plan for future economic opportunity. ---------------------------- Established in 1981, LDC initially focused on economic development efforts to bring back the Polish business district. After some time, they realized that the housing stock was in great need of assistance as well. To remedy this, LDC provided homeowners with loans and other resources to rehabilitate their properties. Despite the great strides made in the district, the members of LDC agreed that one area in their community had greater overall need. An area with approximately 4,000 residents was experiencing the most serious crime problems, and city services did not fully complement the needs of the people who lived there. Members of the entire Lagrange community felt they could formulate a Weed and Seed strategy for the area, apply it, and pull together the resources they needed to turn the area around. Launch of Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed The target area identified in the Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed application had been troubled with crime for years. Most prevalent were crimes involving drug dealing, substance abuse, and prostitution. In addition to the high crime rate, the area was becoming increasingly blighted after years of neglect. The community was having difficulty attending to the growing number of abandoned cars and properties. When the site was awarded Official Recognition in 1999, there were 200 vacant properties throughout the target area. The new Weed and Seed strategy outlined plans to address these properties and restore the overall health of the community by linking services to the residents. As soon as the site was awarded Official Recognition, the "weeding" effort was launched. The partners behind the application for Weed and Seed Official Recognition, including city agencies and community residents, pooled their resources and got to work. For 2 months in 1999, a Model Block Program was coordinated to intensify services to the target area. (The goal of the Model Block Program is to bring every structure in the block up to city building code standards and begin new construction on vacant lots.) Residents who had lived for years next to crackhouses saw citations issued, people evicted, and prosecutorial action taken against landlords and tenants involved in illegal activities. Residents came out to watch each time the City of Toledo's Department of Neighborhoods bulldozed an abandoned property (a total of 47 between 1998 and 1999). Abandoned cars were towed away. New street lamps and sidewalks were installed, and police officers asked residents for their input on what was happening on their streets. "We are a lot safer than we were a year ago, but we plan to be a lot safer a year from now. We're going to be a zero-tolerance community," said Olivia Holden, president of LDC. Leveraging Resources From Stakeholders When Weed and Seed funding was awarded in March 2000, it gave the site the resources it needed to hire a full-time coordinator. In addition, the site budget funded a family outreach worker--a full-time counselor--to link city social services to the community as needed. The $125,000 awarded by EOWS funded these two positions and paid for supplies and administrative costs to operate three planned Safe Havens. Resources to drive Weed and Seed programs would come from within the Lagrange community. Community stakeholders brought to the table during strategy development pooled together the community's assets. With their support, through signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs), LDC developed projects outlined in the local Weed and Seed strategy. For example, o The site had working plans to operate an innovative Family Safe Haven, a Safe Haven that attracts parents in the community to participate in programs that make their families stronger. However, the site did not have the space for such a facility. The local St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center stepped forward and donated space in a building it owned in the target area. Today, the family outreach worker works out of the donated facility, providing counseling and linking city services to families in the neighborhood. In addition, the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center provided community grants, including subsidies for their staff to purchase homes in the target area, totaling $295,000 for the year 2000. o The City of Toledo's Department of Neighborhoods also submitted an MOU detailing its allocation of services to support the Weed and Seed cause. The department agreed to demolish 30 houses within 2 years at a cost to the city of $115,800. The department agreed to help LDC identify absentee property owners and move toward acquiring properties when the owner could not be located. A program was developed to allow owners of adjacent properties the opportunity to purchase these acquisitions. If the identified landowner wanted to keep the property and rehabilitate it, the program provided him or her with direction for securing low-interest loans through the Department of Neighborhoods. o In April 2000, Site Coordinator Jennifer Wise received a letter from the Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo in which it offered to provide, through its Mustard Seed program, preemployment training and career development for 20 low-income residents at the Safe Haven. o Connecting Point, a local full-service agency that provides 24-hour mental health services, community outreach services, and residential treatment, submitted its contribution to the strategy in July 2000. The organization agreed to give immediate intervention support and treatment to youth at risk for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety-related difficulties resulting from repeated exposure to urban and domestic violence. Connecting Point also agreed to provide target-area schools with comprehensive prevention and intervention services. o The Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed treatment component also received the support of the Comprehensive Addiction Service System (COMPASS), which donated "clinically appropriate services for up to 90 families." Since 1991, LDC has also worked closely under the national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) project, which provides grants, loans, and equity investments to community development corporations for neighborhood redevelopment and operates a comprehensive crime prevention program called Community Safety Initiative. With LISC's help, LDC is giving its Weed and Seed site the training and technical assistance with housing, financing, organizational development, crime prevention, and strategic planning that it needs to direct its activities. The added professional direction has helped the site focus on achieving the goals of its entire strategy: to attract new partners and leverage new resources. LDC's vision and LISC's support have driven the site to realize its potential to sustain a healthy future. Evaluation In its first year of implementation, the Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed site has experienced a 70 percent decline in robberies and 30 percent decrease in burglaries. Many individuals who made a habit of dealing drugs on the neighborhood streets have been removed. The police have now moved their focus to target drug activity that takes place inside businesses and houses. LDC has rehabilitated 5 homes and provided 27 emergency grants and free paint to 11 homeowners to spruce up their properties. Also, a Toledo architectural firm recently finished working with LDC to plan a streetscape for the community. Finally, the University of Toledo's Urban Affairs Department is donating more than 40 hours of program evaluation time. Professor Randy Stoecker, a sociologist, has spent many years analyzing efforts similar to Weed and Seed in other communities and will advise the Steering Committee on how to realize the goals set forth by its Weed and Seed strategy. The Urban Affairs Department has also offered technical assistance to the program as needed. Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed serves as a great example of the success achieved by a community given the leadership and resources of a community development corporation. With a diverse inventory of community assets and an expanding number of partnerships at its table, Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed is tackling its short-term goals as well as drafting long-term plans with great vision. Officials hope the crime-fighting success of the target area's Weed and Seed program will expand to the entire Lagrange community. Visit the Lagrange Development Corporation's Web site (www.lagrangedevelopment.org) for complete information and updates on the Lagrange community. ---------------------------- If your Weed and Seed site would like to learn how to develop or enhance your own community development corporation, then Sustaining Economic Development Initiatives for Weed and Seed Communities is a must read! It presents guidelines to linking Weed and Seed crime prevention activities to sustainable community-building strategies. For more information on this publication, log on to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Online Ordering System at http://puborder.ncjrs.org and type 171137 under "NCJ Number Search." ---------------------------- Toolkit to end Violence against Women From the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women and the Violence Against Women Office What You Can Do To Make a Difference To provide communities, policy leaders, and individuals with concrete guidance on ending violence against women, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services present the Toolkit To End Violence Against Women, available online at http://toolkit.ncjrs.org. Each Toolkit chapter focuses on a particular audience or environment and includes recommendations for strengthening prevention efforts and improving services and advocacy for victims. Members of all communities are encouraged to consult the Toolkit for instruction, guidance, and inspiration. Violence against women crosses all economic, education, cultural, racial, and religious lines. This invaluable tool was developed to aid in the effort to eradicate such violence from our society. --Attorney General John Ashcroft ---------------------------- Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment Indianapolis Domestic Violence Unit: Weed and Seed Community Promotes Awareness On August 4, 1975, the Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) created the Victim Assistance Unit, the first unit of its kind operated by a U.S. law enforcement agency to offer 24-hour on-call crisis intervention. For more than 25 years, the Indianapolis, Indiana, law enforcement community has been a leader in the proactive programming of justice-based initiatives--including those that support victims of domestic violence and those that provide immediate resources for the investigators and prosecutors dedicated to bringing justice to victims. In 2000, IPD and the Marion County Prosecutor's Office partnered with the Julian Center--a safe-place facility offering emergency housing, counseling, and support services for victims of domestic violence--to establish the Domestic Violence Unit. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the Domestic Violence Unit dedicate their time to bringing justice to victims of abuse and securing convictions of abusers. Victims are often unwilling to press charges and appear in court to testify against their abusers. By personalizing services and simplifying reporting procedures for abuse victims, unit members hoped to encourage every victim in the community to come forward and press charges against his or her assailant. The Domestic Violence Unit began operating at the Julian Center on April 19, 2000. In its first 4 months of operation, the unit investigated 1,134 cases of domestic abuse; charges were filed against batterers in approximately 94 percent of the cases. The unit will investigate an estimated 3,500 to 4,500 cases per year and, with the proper support networks established, expects victims in these cases to appear in court. ---------------------------- The domestic violence citywide network in Indianapolis stands as a national model. A strong partnership between community residents and their network brings the issue of domestic violence out from behind closed doors. ---------------------------- County Prosecutor Scott Newman hopes that the unit's investigation and prosecution resources, coupled with the Julian Center's individualized services, will actively encourage all victims to take a stand. "Over one-third of the cases of domestic battery today cannot be prosecuted when we get to trial because the victims fail to appear in court," stated Newman in his State of the Streets Address last January before the Kiwanis Club. "These are often the most dangerous cases because they often involve victims who are still intimidated by their attacker, and that's why they're not in court. These are some of the most potentially lethal cases." The Marion County Prosecutor's Office and IPD have allocated to the unit permanent full-time staff trained in handling domestic dispute cases. A lieutenant, two sergeants, and six detectives are assigned the primary responsibility of following up on domestic-related arrests. The prosecutor's office provides an onsite deputy prosecutor to streamline the legal processing. IPD further strengthens its services to victims of violence through its partnership with the Family Advocacy Center, a nonprofit organization and Weed and Seed partner that offers support services to families affected by child abuse and domestic violence. Through its partnership with IPD, the Family Advocacy Center employs one domestic violence counselor to work the afternoon-evening shift with officers in each police district. The counselor provides immediate intervention and support to victims of domestic violence at the time of the incident. IPD equips counselors with a vehicle, a police radio, and office space. "Family advocacy counselors are trained domestic abuse counselors, not detective aides," said IPD Grant Manager Liz Allison. "They work as a link between the victims, the Domestic Violence Unit, the Julian Center, and the courts when necessary. We believe we have the most unique system in the country for handling domestic violence." A Rally in the Community Ten thousand incidents of child abuse are reported every year in Marion County alone, and an estimated 21,000 women are assaulted by current or former husbands or boyfriends. To heighten community awareness of this problem, Indianapolis Weed and Seed sponsored the first annual Domestic Violence Awareness Rally in 1999. In October 2001, National Domestic Violence Month, many advocates against domestic violence assembled at the Indianapolis City Market for the third annual rally, "Domestic Violence: It's Not Behind Closed Doors." This year, the Family Advocacy Center cosponsored the event with Indianapolis Weed and Seed. More than 100 members of the community attended the rally, and city and county officials, including IPD Chief Jerry Barker, Marion County Sheriff Jack Cottey, Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman, and Ellen Quigley, Director of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC), helped commemorate victims of domestic violence who died during the past year. (For 35 years, GIPC has operated as a nonprofit organization, bringing about positive changes in the Indianapolis community by providing a common forum for the public and private sectors to discuss and address issues that affect the community.) The annual rally against domestic violence has proved to be a powerful way for the entire community to voice concerns about and take steps to reduce domestic violence. At this year's rally, exhibitors offered information on community resources and assistance for victims of domestic violence. Cheryl Adams, a news anchor at the local Fox affiliate, was the mistress of ceremonies, and local singer/songwriter Ann McWilliams entertained rally participants. In addition, Alias Jones, Francheska McGraw, and Chris Stewart were recognized during the rally as winners of a poster contest sponsored by 36 Weed and Seed Safe Havens. "Prevention begins when perpetrators realize they will be punished for the crime," stated Newman at the community event. "This rally has become an extremely effective way for the community to take a stand and voice support for the actions of my office. We've restored a sense of punishment without apology for criminals who deserve it. This is a victim-centered approach." Positive responses to victim and community needs continue to sustain Indianapolis's reputation as a leader in innovative criminal justice programs. For example, a Child's Haven, the first fully supervised courthouse waiting room for children in Indiana, was recently established in the City-County Building through a partnership with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office and Volunteers of America, a national organization familiar to many Weed and Seed sites. In addition, the Marion County Sheriff's Department and the Marion County Prosecutor's Office have established a free 24-hour automated telephone service called VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) to inform victims of changes in their assailant's custody status, including facility releases or transfers to other locations. Victims are encouraged to use VINE should they have questions regarding the location of the offender charged in their case. Newman's office also recently formed a domestic violence partnership with the Marion County Sheriff's Office to extend its reach to victims outside IPD's jurisdiction. For years, Indianapolis citywide leadership, through its partnerships with local neighborhoods, has built a foundation from which greater things may grow. With a vision to provide its citizens with a healthy and safe environment, the Indianapolis community has remained a leader in justice innovations. This continued vision will provide models for community-based and city-led innovations in the years to come. ---------------------------- Partnerships have been crucial to the success of this project. We are fortunate to have the support of not only the Indianapolis business and philanthropic community but also the local government and law enforcement. --Ann DeLaney, Executive Director, Julian Center ---------------------------- OJJDP Drug-Free Communities Support Program In November 2001, communities nationwide received grant award notification from the Drug-Free Communities Support Program, a program coordinated by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy with grant supervision provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). A total of 157 communities will share $15 million in new Federal grants to strengthen existing local efforts to prevent and respond to illegal drug and alcohol use by youth. Throughout 2002, In-Sites will feature stories highlighting the progress made by Weed and Seed sites as they develop their own drug-free communities. Providence, Rhode Island Members of the Weed and Seed community in Providence, Rhode Island, had reason to celebrate this past October when a drug prevention proposal (grant application) they developed was selected for funding by the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. OJJDP has granted Providence's Olneyville neighborhood $87,000 to strengthen existing efforts to prevent substance abuse. The grant was awarded to the Nickerson Community Center, a nonprofit social service agency located in the Olneyville neighborhood. This agency has been the fiscal agent of Providence Weed and Seed since it received Official Recognition in 1999--becoming the first Weed and Seed site in Rhode Island. The Weed and Seed site and the Nickerson Community Center have played active roles in developing and implementing comprehensive and effective strategies for decreasing substance abuse and crime in the Olneyville neighborhood. With this fund, the Providence Weed and Seed Steering Committee and a 21-member coalition will support the Drug-Free Communities effort by developing a curriculum dubbed "All Stars" that complements the needs of the community. The coalition, a group of community stakeholders including drug prevention and crime reduction specialists, reports to the Steering Committee to review developments in implementing the All Stars curriculum. All Stars's mission is to reduce substance abuse among youth and decrease other negative and dangerous behaviors, such as sexual activity, violence, and destruction of property. All Stars's objectives are to educate youth and direct them toward positive, rewarding lifestyles. The program also hopes to increase the degree to which students are bonded to positive friendships and socially beneficial extracurricular activities both at school and in the community. The formation of the coalition and the grant award give the Providence Weed and Seed site the additional tools it needs to strengthen and more effectively implement the prevention, intervention, and treatment component of its strategy. ---------------------------- The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, in partnership with the Office of Justice Program's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, supports communities through its Drug-Free Communities Support Program, which gives renewed energy to existing substance abuse prevention and intervention programs coordinated at the local level. Providence Weed and Seed is just one of many Weed and Seed communities tapping into the resources of this program. ---------------------------- Reaching Out to the Southeast Asian Community According to the 1990 census, Rhode Island led all other States in the rate of growth of its Southeast Asian population in the 1980s. Statewide, the Southeast Asian population grew by 245 percent. Furthermore, in Providence alone, the growth rate was 464 percent, with 48 percent of the Southeast Asian population living below the poverty level in high-crime communities. Today, Rhode Island is estimated to have the sixth highest percentage of Southeast Asian residents per capita in the Nation. Despite their presence in the community, programming targeting this population is either insufficient or does not exist. Therefore, Southeast Asian youth in these low-income communities are at risk to be involved in antisocial, destructive behaviors. In the Weed and Seed community, smoking, drug abuse, truancy, and gang recruitment and activity are all significant problems. Although recent citywide drug prevention efforts have included outreach to all youth, Weed and Seed coordinators felt there was a special need within the Southeast Asian youth population living in the Weed and Seed target area. The resources provided by the Drug-Free Communities Support Program will help the site reach the entire Southeast Asian population. The coalition, with the help of the All Stars curriculum, will involve parents in ongoing community outreach efforts. Parents will be instructed about the use of drugs, the symptoms of a drug user, and what to do if they suspect their child is involved with drugs or alcohol. The coalition plans to invite parents to serve as outreach volunteers who teach the All Stars curriculum, to serve as coalition members, and to participate in focus groups to be established throughout the year to address the particular substance abuse issues in the community. Other goals of the coalition include the development of a long-term strategic plan with specific action steps and a culturally specific program evaluation. In-Sites will report on the progress made by Providence Weed and Seed's Drug-Free Communities Support Program and give updates from other program grantees. For a review of all 2001 grantees, visit www.ojjdp.ncjrs. org/dfcs/index.html. EOWS reminds all sites to look into applying for the Drug-Free Communities 2002 funding that is currently available! ---------------------------- Drug-Free Communities Application Package for Drug-Free Communities Program Now Available Apply for up to $100,000 to support coalition efforts to reduce substance abuse among youth. Applications Are Available Online To access a copy of the program announcement and for information about applicant workshops, go online to www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/dfcs. For more information or to receive a copy of the application package via fax-on-demand, call 800-638-8736. This program is supported by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. ---------------------------- From the Field Responding to Hate Crimes: Before and After September 11 William Daniels The issues that accompany intolerance toward different groups of people are deeply rooted in the core of the humanities and history and in how people interact. Untested, our relationships appear palatable, but theories are best proved in conflict, and strength is better determined during adversity. In the light of the September 11 attack on America, the world paused to consider our position on the world stage. Questions loomed everywhere. Why us, why now, and by whom? The political flurries began to fly while, in the midst of the conflict, the American quilt was being stretched and, in some instances, even ripped. By late October 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had begun investigating approximately 200 reported cases of hate-motivated crimes against individuals who were of either Middle Eastern or Asian descent, practiced the Islamic faith, or appeared to be affiliated with these groups. Ultimately, the quilt's fabric of tolerance was stretched to its limits. The Hate Crimes Working Group of the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) met in October 2001 to discuss the specific issues as they related to law enforcement and their communities before and after the September 11 attacks. On December 3, 2001, in response to the level of reported hate crimes across the country, a collaborative partnership between the USAO for the Middle District of Florida, the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the Florida Regional Community Policing Institute resulted in a day of critical training for law enforcement practitioners and community representatives. Presenters included members of the U.S. Department of Justice (from Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami), the State of Florida's Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, and other local law enforcement agencies. "Florida has some of the toughest hate crime laws in the Nation, and we will not tolerate any such actions in this State. I am pleased to see the high level of cooperation by the local law enforcement agencies in addressing these concerns," said FDLE Commissioner Tim Moore. The training was designed to heighten awareness of the nature and causes of hate crimes (particularly against minority groups), provide tools for responding to and investigating hate crimes, improve community interaction, examine best practices for responding to incidences of hate crimes, and enhance interagency communication and coordination to address the threat to society of hate crimes. Approximately 60 participants filled the room as local and national press took notes. Many established and emerging community leaders and representatives from the Middle District's Weed and Seed site stepped up to the plate to get informed, be engaged, and become involved. What made this event successful? The power of partnership! Reaching Out to the Media To Sell Soft News Mel Hopkins In the summer of 2001, more than five shootings in as many weeks and alleged drug trafficking on the East Wheeling, West Virginia, streets had some Weed and Seed area residents at their wits' end. At a Wheeling City Council meeting, and subsequently, at an East Wheeling neighborhood crime watch meeting, some residents said they were afraid to walk the streets, day or night. One resident said, "It was as if the 'You are now entering a Weed and Seed community' signs were McDonald's golden arches to drug dealers." The media was there to cover and later broadcast the story. Local police and Weed and Seed were under fire. Cooling these fires was going to take some time--and some relationship building. Many good things were happening in the Weed and Seed area. The situation was not perfect, but the law-abiding members of the community and the local police department had made great strides to turn things around. Before applying for the position that would lead to coordinating some of the positive activities for O.N.E. (Our Neighborhoods Empowered) Wheeling Weed and Seed, I worked as a broadcast journalist for a local television station. When the series of shootings occurred, my instinct was to bring about resolve through the media and deliver the positive coverage our neighborhood and residents deserved. Getting the Word Out East Wheeling Weed and Seed occupies a small section of town. Few people other than our municipal partners know about Weed and Seed. Our neighborhood is stigmatized as a dangerous place to go by outsiders. With the vision of residents who are tired of living in a poor environment, we have made great progress. When our Safe Haven was designated a Kids' House or when yet another group of adults graduated from the computer center, the community wanted all of Wheeling to hear about it. Sometimes the media would trickle in and out of events, and other times they would not show up at all. That all changed in July 2001. When the media came to our site to cover unrest brewing after the shootings, Weed and Seed coordinators seized the opportunity to educate them on the four points of the Weed and Seed strategy. Through continued communication, we eventually received positive coverage from the media as they began to fully understand and believe in our goals. By the time our Steering Committee met for its monthly meeting in November, we had more members of the media present than committee members. Reaching Out to the Media The biggest challenge to getting media coverage is cultivating relationships with members of the media who cover the target area. Once trust and communication exist, the media will understand and support the cause. The first step in the process, compiling a media contact list, is simple but time consuming. Whether the list is maintained on a sophisticated database or on a legal pad, a contact list is vital to building media relationships. A list of all the magazines, newspapers, and radio and television stations in the immediate area should be maintained. The list must include mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone and fax numbers for each contact. Much of this information can be found on the World Wide Web. The next step may be a little more difficult. Once a contact list for each medium (e.g., television, radio) is compiled, the person responsible for assigning the stories must be identified, because all correspondence should be addressed to this person. The job title of each contact person will vary; for instance the television contact may be both the day and night assignment editors, associate producer, producer, executive producer, or news director. Do not be afraid to talk, but get to the point of your call. News media professionals are in the business of information gathering, so they do welcome calls. Ask members of the Steering Committee for media contact suggestions; chances are some of these members work for agencies that operate a communications department with a local media contact list. Once the media contact list is complete, you can distribute a press release. An effective press release answers the following: who, what, where, when, why, and how? Also, include the name of the organization's contact person, usually the spokesperson, and his or her telephone number. The press release should contain all the pertinent information and be no more than 1 page. Try to time the event around broadcasts when news is slow. My area airs five daily television newscasts: 5-7 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. Slow time is during nonbroadcast hours, 8-10 a.m., 1-3 p.m., and so on. Station resources often use this time to gather the news, get to a location, and set up for live event coverage for the next broadcast. The same practice applies to newspapers. Wheeling's morning paper is "put to bed" (when the writing and editing stop) at 11 p.m., and the afternoon paper is put to bed by approximately 9 a.m. News radio deadlines are a little less strict because interviews, comments, and announcements can be called in. That said, it is important to learn the local media's news cycle and try not to schedule news conferences or events too close to media deadlines. Be persistent without being annoying. About 1 week before an event, fax a press release to the media outlets. If the event is canceled or rescheduled for some reason, send a news advisory to let the media know, and call any media contact who is planning to attend so he or she will not be "stood up." Consistently send press releases that publicize each scheduled event. The media may not cover every event, but the organization's activities, name, and logo will become more familiar to local media outlets. Looking Ahead When I first started my position in June, I was by no means a media darling. My first news release for O.N.E. Wheeling Weed and Seed went unnoticed. It was not until the following month, when things got really heated in the target area, that the media started coming around. Then we had nonstop coverage, and the media relationships began to grow in a more positive direction. It was the hard news coming out of our target area that rushed media to our streets. However, through our site's efforts to educate them on what we were accomplishing despite some unrest, the media are now more willing and anxious to cover our events. The positive relationships we have developed have helped us remove the stigmas once associated with our community and will help our efforts to further mobilize our community. ---------------------------- DEFY Upstate New York's First DEFY Camp Defies the Odds Sherry Charlebois and Mary Beth McGowan When upstate New York's Rensselaer County North Central Troy Weed and Seed received EOWS Official Recognition in 2000, its Steering Committee decided it would do whatever was necessary to bring the DEFY (Drug Education for Youth) program to children in the community. They got started by sending Steering Committee member Sherry Charlebois and National Guard representative Tim Kavanaugh to the EOWS Train-the-Trainer Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 2001. The conference enabled them to network with other Weed and Seed site representatives and hear firsthand testimonials from military partners, law enforcement officers, and site volunteers who serve as coordinators of and mentors in their own DEFY programs. The DEFY participants' enthusiasm rubbed off on the Rensselaer team, and they returned motivated to coordinate their first DEFY program. A DEFY subcommittee consisting of Steering Committee members was organized to begin the planning process, and weekly meetings were held to discuss logistics. First, a camp location was identified--the Watervliet Arsenal operated by the U.S. Army--and the dates were selected. Everything was moving along smoothly, yet obstacles were looming around the corner. Kavanaugh, the driving force behind the formation of the DEFY committee, was unable to continue the planning process and could only offer limited participation at the camp. In addition, the committee discovered that the Watervliet Arsenal had no active military personnel onsite. At one time, it had been a military base; it then restructured, and today it is a base for manufacturing machinery. The base offered the DEFY group its facility and donated an entire building and outdoor recreational facilities for the Weed and Seed effort. However, the DEFY planners remained without the military partner traditionally required to help coordinate the DEFY curriculum and day-to-day activities. The committee came up with an unconventional solution to this problem. The Marine National Guard became the military partner that would provide manpower and personnel, and the U.S. Army would provide its facility. The partnership would work out perfectly. In early spring 2001, Charlebois took on the role of DEFY Program Coordinator. She made contacts with local military and law enforcement personnel and requested their input and participation in planning the summer camp. By May, the Steering Committee had hired Mary Beth McGowan as the Weed and Seed Coordinator, with one of her first assignments being to help the planning committee coordinate the details of DEFY Phase I. Then in June, McGowan attended the Northeast Weed and Seed Regional Conference in Scotia, New York, with several Steering Committee and DEFY committee members. Site representatives attended a breakout session on planning a DEFY program, which gave them the information they needed to better comprehend the scope of work that lay ahead. The planning committee thought that to best launch their first DEFY camp, several of its members should see a DEFY camp "in action." In early summer, McGowan and Charlebois visited a DEFY camp in Niantic, Connecticut, run by the Connecticut National Guard and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. The efforts of the Connecticut Weed and Seed sites have a nationwide reputation as model examples of DEFY at work. Being onsite at a DEFY camp gave McGowan and Charlebois a firsthand look at camp operations and gave Rensselaer County North Central Troy Weed and Seed the "shot in the arm" it needed to move forward and see its own camp through to fruition. Coordinators returned to Rensselaer County full of energy and ideas. Then, the planning committee once again received discouraging news. Although the paperwork for DEFY had been filed with EOWS, all funding earmarked for the national DEFY program had already been dispersed to other Weed and Seed sites that had applied earlier in the year. No funding was available for any more camps in 2001. The DEFY committee persisted, however, and decided to find their own local resources to fund their DEFY effort. The DEFY planning committee approached the North Central Weed and Seed Steering Committee with their case. Because McGowan was hired late in the year, the site had $10,000 of unused funds that had been budgeted for the Weed and Seed coordinator's salary. Unanimously, the Steering Committee voted to support the camp. Next, to strengthen relationships with their partners and volunteers, the DEFY committee invited Mary O'Donohue, Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, to talk to both law enforcement and military personnel about the DEFY program's effectiveness elsewhere in the State. For several years, O'Donohue has served as the U.S. Attorney's Office representative directly involved with the planning and coordination of large-scale DEFY camps in the Eastern District of New York that serve more than 100 children each summer. In her presentation, O'Donohue reinforced the importance of volunteering and mentoring, not only for the program's success but also in the lives of youth. Her heartfelt testimony about DEFY inspired the group, including the site's Law Enforcement Coordinator, Peter Laun. On behalf of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, Laun dedicated his time and leadership to help make the program happen. By late July, it looked as though the DEFY program would beat the odds. The planning committee worked feverishly to set a daily schedule, plan field trips, and train those involved in the camp's daily operations. It finally came together. DEFY 2001 was a reality. DEFY staff coordinated open houses at two local housing authorities; flyers were distributed at the local elementary school and to residents of public housing, and were posted around the target area to make the community aware of the event. Next, the committee leveraged local resources to support the activities of Phase I of the DEFY program. They asked area businesses to donate food and supplies. Several restaurants did, providing the camp with enough food for three well-rounded meals a day plus healthy snacks. In addition, the local housing authority offered to transport the children to and from the camp each day. Other agencies and organizations in the community bought into the idea of the DEFY program and donated items for the children's DEFY backpacks to be distributed at graduation. (At graduation, every DEFY youth receives a DEFY backpack, which contains supplies he or she will need for the new school year.) A total of 31 youth enrolled in the day camp. Uniforms were made locally with funds provided by the Weed and Seed Steering Committee. The Friday before the camp opened, the planning committee set up the camp facilities. They divided one large building into stations for most activities. The stations included a classroom, lunch area, free-time activity area, and staff room. Tables and chairs were arranged, and the staff office was given supplies. Finally, the planning committee hosted a meeting with camp leaders to ensure a smooth launch for Phase I. On August 21 at 7:30 a.m., the North Central DEFY camp served its first breakfast to the youth and officially became the first DEFY campsite of upstate New York. At first, camp leaders were a little nervous and not sure if the youth were enjoying themselves. However, the success of the program became clear the next morning when every child came back, excited to spend another day at camp! The camp was a wonderful experience for all involved. On Saturday, August 25, a commencement ceremony for the youth was held at the military base. Before family and friends, all 31 participants received DEFY diplomas and their DEFY backpacks. Many county and city dignitaries and media representatives were present to show their support for the program and praise the youth for their commitment to finish it. After the ceremony, everyone gathered for a picnic to end the weeklong camp. The hard work and strong commitment of community agencies not only to Weed and Seed, but also to the children in the community, is the primary reason for the DEFY camp's success. This proves that any obstacle can be overcome when children are at stake. ---------------------------- Winners Sylvia Bolling's Efforts Strengthen Aldine Community More than 10 years ago, Sylvia Bolling used her car to reach out to members of her community who were in need. Aldine, Texas, was surrounded by Houston's city lines, but because Aldine was never annexed with the city, State law does not require that municipal services be provided to the residents of the community. Residents who needed financial assistance with daycare, adult education opportunities, and recreational activities for their children had to "pound the pavement," filing paperwork and waiting for weeks--if not months- -to learn whether they qualified for assistance. Meanwhile, the streets of their low-income community got progressively worse. Bolling became passionately committed to educating the community about how to get the services they needed to improve their lives. Bolling's commitment paid off. After a few years of canvassing the streets of Aldine, she secured the trust of a newly empowered community. In 1990, Bolling and community volunteers organized Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. (Youth Organization United To Help), which was later incorporated without any outside funding. For the next 5 years, the group provided services to youth and their families. A huge break came in 1995 when a local grantmaking foundation, the Houston Endowment, awarded Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. $50,000 for a downpayment on a building to create a community center. The Aldine community came forward with additional funding to make the center a reality. "Downtrodden families don't have the resources to go from agency to agency," said Bolling. "With the center, they can get everything done in one place, all in one day." In 1999, the Aldine community received Official Recognition as a Weed and Seed site, which motivated more partners to help plan for the future. In the past 2 years, law enforcement has worked tirelessly to reach the goals set forth in the Aldine Weed and Seed strategy. Today, Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. serves as a neighborhood Safe Haven and provides community and family activities, including an 8-week summer program that offers free lunch, counseling, parent education, GED and ESL (English as a second language) classes, and many other beneficial programs and services that did not exist in the past. Over the years, the center has molded its services to fit the needs of the immediate community. For example, the second Friday of each month is reserved for Senior Day, with bingo and crafts. Also, parents of children with disabilities can meet with the Love Our Children support group on the first Friday of each month. ---------------------------- More than 10 years ago, Aldine, Texas, was an underserved, deteriorating community. Today, supported by a comprehensive Weed and Seed strategy, the Aldine community is able to mold services to fit its own needs and plan for a future of economic prosperity and opportunity for its residents. ---------------------------- "It really is a one-stop shop," said Bolling. "If we can't offer a certain service that somebody needs, we will get on the phone and find an agency that can help." Bolling's vision has not gone unnoticed. She was given the Jefferson Award, an award sponsored by a local television station that recognizes the contributions made by the citizens of the greater Houston area. Bolling also has been named a Warner Cable Hometown Hero, an award the entertainment company presents to honor unsung heroes that support the lives of young children in their communities. With funding from area foundations, she has hired a full-time coordinator, and the community plans to build a new gymnasium, a daycare center, a computer lab, and additional rooms so that more agencies can move their offices to the center. The Aldine community receives additional support from the Violence-Free Zone initiative, a project supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Justice, local public housing authorities, and grantmaking organizations, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the William H. Donner Foundation. Directed by a Weed and Seed strategy that focuses on service, all of these resources have enabled Aldine Y.O.U.T.H.--under Bolling's--direction to empower more than 500 youth and their families. ---------------------------- Conference Corner FY 2002 Weed and Seed Application Kit Workshop More than 600 Weeders and Seeders gathered at the Application Kit Workshop in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 25-28, 2002. The workshop started with a look back at the program's history to honor three of the past directors of EOWS. Having this unique opportunity to pay tribute to people who have shaped Weed and Seed was an exciting way to begin the FY 2002 Weed and Seed Application Kit Workshop. Deborah Daniels (EOWS Director 1992-93), Terry Donahue (EOWS Director 1993-95), and Steve Rickman (EOWS Director 1996-2002) each left an important and lasting imprint on Weed and Seed. Beverly Watts-Davis of the San Antonio, Texas, Weed and Seed site, who had worked with all three leaders, expressed her thanks and presented them with plaques on behalf of Weeders and Seeders around the country. After this emotional and exciting beginning, the workshop turned its focus toward the future and the innovative and challenging directions ahead for Weed and Seed. In her opening remarks to the conference, Deborah Daniels, now Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), shared her ideas and plans for the future of Weed and Seed. She renewed the Weed and Seed commitment to collaboration and partnerships, particularly stressing her intention to work to strengthen coordination with other Federal agencies and departments that will expand the reach of Weed and Seed. The resources from other agencies will build on the resources from the U.S. Department of Justice that help sites with law enforcement and community policing. Her knowledge and support of the Weed and Seed program was especially encouraging to everyone at the conference. Terry Donahue, Acting Administrator for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), expressed his appreciation for the recognition. He voiced his continuing support for Weed and Seed in presentations he later gave on OJP's new offender reentry initiative and through his promise to commit OJJDP's resources to EOWS efforts. Steve Rickman gave a rousing greeting to Weeders and Seeders. With great appreciation, participants recognized his leadership in expanding the number of Weed and Seed sites. Several sites presented parting gifts to Steve, who left EOWS earlier in February to become Director of Readiness at the Office of Homeland Security. Steve will continue to work with Weed and Seed sites on homeland security issues from his new post. Bob Samuels then provided details about the many changes for the upcoming year that should give sites more flexibility in managing their programs to better serve local needs. In addition to presenting information about technical changes and new requirements, this year's workshop topics covered every facet of Weed and Seed. Even before the opening sessions, the workshop offered new sites an orientation session. There was standing room only for the attendees as new (and some not so new) sites listened and took notes about the process of setting up a Weed and Seed site. Plenary sessions covered the fundamental issues of budget, grant funds management, application requirements, training and technical assistance, and reporting. Each of these sessions offered a thorough explanation of the topics and a question-and-answer period. In response to requests from attendees of previous conferences and workshops, the format of the FY 2002 Application Kit Workshop was designed to provide information on a wide range of topics and to allow more interaction among attendees. One of the workshop's new features was the topic table session. The 19 concurrent topic tables provided attendees the opportunity to select an issue of particular interest and discuss it in a small group. The enthusiasm for the topic tables was obvious based on the level of participation and sharing of ideas and information. In addition, the workshop included 12 breakout sessions on the Special Emphasis areas. Speakers provided indepth information and answered questions to help sites plan for this element of their applications. These popular sessions were presented twice so that everyone had the opportunity to attend more than one session. The program manager/regional breakout sessions in which EOWS program managers and representatives from local sites discuss their issues have become a standard part of the format at Weed and Seed conferences. The networking among sites at these sessions is as important as the discussions that take place. To address the key objective of developing strong collaborative efforts with other Federal agencies, seven additional breakout sessions were scheduled so Federal agencies could explain their programs. These sessions represent an early step toward gearing up the interagency coordination element of Weed and Seed. Judging by the discussions, these sessions will help lead to the development of new partnerships. The Federal agencies represented in the sessions were HUD, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, Office of Community Services), the National Guard, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps). In addition, the final day of the workshop was devoted exclusively to a presentation by OJJDP (in cooperation with the Office of National Drug Control Policy and HHS) on how to apply for Drug-Free Communities Support Program funding. Attendees of the FY 2002 Weed and Seed Application Kit Workshop displayed a seriousness of purpose and a desire to learn and share experiences and ideas. They also had fun meeting new people and renewing old friendships. The enthusiasm and good will of Weeders and Seeders promises to make 2002 another great year. ---------------------------- EOWS News Key Emphases for 2002 Official Recognition Application Submissions Effective in 2002, Official Recognition (OR) will be valid for 5 calendar years, regardless of the number of funding awards during that period. All sites that received OR prior to May 31, 1998 (equal to 5 calendar years prior to May 31, 2003), will be required to send a Letter of Intent to submit a new OR application by August 31, 2002, and the completed OR application by October 31, 2002. The revised 2002 OR guidelines and accompanying instructional memorandum can be obtained at www. ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/whatsnew.htm or by calling 202-616-1152. All OR applications must follow these revised 2002 guidelines. Balance Between Weeding and Seeding Funds In 2002, EOWS will help sites identify and benefit from funding and training available from other government agencies and the private sector for the "seeding" needs of their communities. This will allow EOWS and other U.S. Department of Justice funding to be used for its intended "weeding" purposes- -to help meet law enforcement and community policing needs. As outlined in the recently released FY 2002 Program Guide and Application Kits, sites must use at least 50 percent of the total EOWS award to support weeding activities, including community policing. Pilot Local Evaluation Projects EOWS will fund pilot local evaluation projects for 20 Weed and Seed sites in FY 2002. Sites that are ready to implement a local evaluation are eligible to request up to $25,000 for this purpose. Application requirements are outlined in the Program Guide and Application Kits. To help sites plan for local evaluation, Weed and Seed distributed a new publication, Evaluating a Weed and Seed Strategy (NCJ 191723), at the FY 2002 Application Kit Workshop. To obtain a copy of this document, call the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 1-800-851-3420. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Funding This year, eligible Weed and Seed sites can apply for a one-time grant of up to $50,000 to assist in the investigation, prosecution, and prevention of violent crimes and drug offenses in public and federally assisted low-income housing, including American Indian and Section 8 housing. The funding is made possible through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2002 Appropriations Act. ---------------------------- ALERT! New Process for Future DEFY Funding (Summer 2003 and Beyond) This will be the last year that DEFY budget requests will be submitted as described on page 25. Future DEFY funding should be budgeted out of the Weed and Seed grant. Therefore, sites planning to fund 2003 DEFY summer camps will need to include that request in their upcoming FY 2002 Weed and Seed grant application. ---------------------------- Background Screening Requirements Sites are required to submit written protocols on background screening for staff who work with children within 90 days of acceptance of the FY 2002 award. ---------------------------- FY 2002 Funding Application Deadlines Continuation Sites: Group A: April 30 Group B: May 31 Competitive Sites: May 31 Don't Delay! ---------------------------- Important Notice About EOWS Satellite Broadcasts The Weed and Seed satellite series has ended. A limited number of videotapes of previous shows are available to Weed and Seed sites. (View the series calendar at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/satschd.htm.) Please contact EOWS if you are interested in obtaining copies of these videotapes. Sites can use EOWS grant funds to access any of the training or teleconference resources available from the Law Enforcement Television Network (LETN) for weeding activities. Sites should contact LETN directly about these costs (www.pwpl.com/law). DEFY 2002 Budget Solicitation EOWS is accepting budget requests for the DEFY (Drug Education For Youth) program. All submissions must include the proposed budget, a signed "Request for Use of United States Attorney's Weed and Seed Fund," and a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Attorney's Office and the partnering agency (e.g., military). The submission deadline is May 30, 2002. Interested Weed and Seed sites can obtain the EOWS FY 2002 budget solicitation memorandum (which explains the application requirements), a sample MOU, and the format for preparing a budget from the DEFY Web page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/defy.htm. Contact Louise Lucas, DEFY Coordinator, via telephone (202-616-3454) or e-mail (lucas@ojp.usdoj.gov) if you have questions about the solicitation. Reentry Grant Program The Office of Justice Programs and its Federal partners have collaborated to offer a comprehensive reentry grant program, the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. This program is a comprehensive effort that addresses both juvenile and adult populations of serious, high-risk offenders by providing funding to develop, implement, enhance, and evaluate reentry strategies that will ensure the safety of the community and the reduction of serious, violent crimes. It seeks to help State and local agencies address why thousands of serious and violent offenders are released from corrections facilities and returned to their communities each year. State or local units of government that represent a partnership between institutional and community corrections agencies are eligible for this program. For adults, the partnership must include the State's Department of Corrections (DOC) and at least one local community agency. For juveniles, the partnership must include the State's juvenile DOC and a local agency involved in providing services and/or supervising juveniles who return from these facilities. Discretionary grant funds, evaluation, and technical assistance will be available for a 3-year program period. The goal of the initiative is to fund at least one program in each State (all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands). Each site would receive approximately $500,000-$2 million, depending on the criteria outlined in the solicitation. Applications are due May 15, 2002. For more information about and to download a copy of the reentry grant program application, visit www.ojp. usdoj.gov/reentry. To ask questions about the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, send an e-mail to askreentry@ncjrs.org or call 1-800-421-6770. The U.S. Department of Justice Response Center staff are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time. EOWS encourages Weed and Seed sites to consider applying for this initiative. Interested sites should contact their State corrections administrator for specific instructions related to the reentry collaborative. Sites that apply should be sure to identify themselves as Weed and Seed sites in their reentry application. As an additional or alternative resource, EOWS offers Weed and Seed continuation sites the option of using up to $50,000 of their Weed and Seed grant funds for a Reentry Program for Offenders Special Emphasis Initiative to address issues that concern offenders reentering Weed and Seed communities. All sites can also use their core EOWS funding for this purpose. Attachment 2 of the FY 2002 Program Guide and Application Kit for continuation sites outlines how this Special Emphasis funding can complement a Reentry Grant Program. ---------------------------- Further details on all of Weed and Seed's emphases for FY 2002 are provided in the FY 2002 Program Guide and Application Kits for continuation and competitive sites. These solicitations are available in portable document format (PDF) and text versions on EOWS' Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/funding.htm. To request a hard copy of the solicitations, call EOWS at 202-616-1152. ---------------------------- Web Sight The EOWS Web site is constantly being upgraded. As more Weed and Seed sites request that information be posted or make suggestions for improvement, EOWS makes efforts to accommodate them. Here, In-Sites presents an overview to give readers an idea of all the things they may find on the EOWS Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows). On-Line Community Center Materials posted on this page (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/commcent.htm, one click away from the EOWS home page) are mainly of interest to site coordinators. Visitors can view summaries of what site coordinators are discussing on the Weed and Seed Site Coordinator Listserv. Sites looking for help promoting their local initiatives can find Weed and Seed logos that are easy to download, information on borrowing Weed and Seed banners for special events, and guidelines for submitting information to In-Sites. What's New This page (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/whatsnew.htm) is updated most often, as new information is constantly being disseminated by EOWS. What's New acts as the portal for everything "going on" or most accessed by Weed and Seed sites: grant solicitations, letters announcing training opportunities, the latest issues of Best Practices and In-Sites. Any site looking to finish up a proposal, grant application, or annual report can gain instant access to data and statistics from their target area on the What's New page--just click on the link "Weed and Seed Data Center" to be transferred to a one-stop online resource center for demographics, crime trends, Weed and Seed initiatives, and even a map of each target area that highlights the location of each neighborhood Safe Haven. EOWS developed this user-friendly resource to allow the public to retrieve much of the data that sites submit to EOWS throughout the year. Mark Your Calendar Some time ago, sites began requesting that EOWS provide a training plan for the coming year to allow them the time needed to plan work or vacation travel, submit travel requests, and schedule Weed and Seed activities such as Drug Education for Youth summer camp activities. EOWS now publishes the tentative dates of upcoming training opportunities and events at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/conferences.htm. EOWS only posts those activities for which a hotel contract has been signed; however, you should always wait until registration materials have been distributed and you have spoken to your EOWS program manager before making travel arrangements. Visit Mark Your Calendar to see what exciting training opportunities EOWS has in the works for 2002! Funding Opportunities Throughout the Accreditation Training Series held in 2001, EOWS staff listened to sites express frustration over securing additional Federal and State funding. Many sites are well practiced in proposal writing, but a large number of site representatives do not feel confident going after big foundation and corporate grant dollars. EOWS will work to provide practical tools for sites in the next year. EOWS already uses its Web site to advertise new solicitations and list announcements of awards from corporations and foundations to Weed and Seed communities. From the Funding Opportunities page (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/funding.htm), visit the new Accessing Corporate and Foundation Funding resource page developed by EOWS to learn how to collect materials to draft a grant proposal and get started. Every site should learn to tap into grantmaking nongovernment organizations, and there are dozens of free Internet resources available to help you do so. EOWS will use the Funding Opportunities page to link Weed and Seed sites to these resources. Visit the EOWS Web site, where all of the above online resources are located, as well as information about EOWS staff, publications, links to Weed and Seed neighborhoods, current funding opportunities, and more. Site visitors should always remember to send EOWS an e-mail providing comments or suggestions. The EOWS Web site is maintained for public use and relies on direction from the field. ---------------------------- Mark Your Calendars! EOWS will sponsor a Strategy Development Workshop April 22-25, 2002, in St. Louis, Missouri. This workshop replaces the previously scheduled Accreditation Training I and is designed to serve funded sites in the early stages of development, sites that were denied Official Recognition (OR), sites preparing to submit OR recertification applications by October 31, 2002, and unfunded or developing sites that are just starting to develop a Weed and Seed strategy. Officially Recognized or developing Weed and Seed sites may send one to four persons. For more information, contact your EOWS program manager or Cheryl Driscoll at 202-616-1152. ---------------------------- Resources For More Information Contact these organizations or the In-Sites editor for more information on articles featured in this issue of In-Sites, or visit the EOWS Web site for related links at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/publications.htm. Elder Abuse Task Force of Midcoast Maine Patricia Kimball Site Coordinator Midcoast Maine Weed and Seed Bath, Maine pattyk@suscom-maine.net Weed and Seed Hosts First Project Safe Neighborhoods Regional Training Carol Neylan Law Enforcement Coordinator U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware Wilmington, Delaware carol.neylan@usdoj.gov City Joins Hands With Lagrange Community in Toledo, Ohio Jennifer Wise Site Coordinator Toledo-Lagrange Weed and Seed Toledo, Ohio jenlwise@yahoo.com www.lagrangedevelopment.org/ws.htm For more information about the Local Initiatives Support Corporation Community Safety Initiative, contact Lisa Belsky Program Director CSI Local Initiatives Support Corporation 733 Third Avenue, Eighth Floor New York, New York Lbelsky@liscnet.org Indianapolis Domestic Violence Unit: Weed and Seed Community Promotes Awareness Barbara Rogers Citywide Coordinator Indianapolis Weed and Seed Indianapolis, Indiana R6949@indygov.org OJJDP Drug-Free Communities Support Program Melanie Wilson Site Coordinator Providence Weed and Seed Providence, Rhode Island Nicker133@aol.com Responding to Hate Crimes: Before and After September 11 William Daniels U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida Tampa, Florida william.daniels@usdoj.gov Reaching Out to the Media To Sell Soft News Mel Hopkins Site Coordinator O.N.E. Wheeling Weed and Seed Wheeling, West Virginia mhopkins@northern.wvnet.edu Upstate New York's First DEFY Camp Defies the Odds Sherry Charlebois DEFY Program Coordinator North Central Troy Weed and Seed Troy, New York scharlebois@ceo-cap.org Mary Beth McGowan Site Coordinator North Central Troy Weed and Seed Troy, New York comedygirl11@aol.com Sylvia Bolling's Efforts Strengthen Aldine Community Derrick Heyward Youth Service Manager City of Aldine Aldine Weed and Seed Aldine, Texas Derrick_Heyward@itc.co.harris.tx.us ---------------------------- Weed and Seed communities across the country currently tap into grants offered by the Office of Justice Programs in an effort to strengthen their crime prevention strategies and services to victims of crime. Find out how your site can do the same in the coming year! Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/applicationkits.htm. ---------------------------- The Weed and Seed Emergency Preparedness Broadcast EOWS aired Preparing for Community Emergencies: Issues and Strategies live via satellite broadcast on January 17, 2002, from the Law Enforcement Training Network (LETN) studio in Dallas, Texas. The show was broadcast in partnership with the Fire and Emergency Television Network and the Emergency Education Network, with support by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This partnership allowed EOWS to reach out to more communities and professionals who are involved in emergency response. According to EOWS Broadcast Series Coordinator Mary Breen, this is the first time a tribal community has downlinked the EOWS-produced series for live viewing. To request a VHS copy of this or any previous broadcast, contact Mary Breen via e-mail at breenm@ojp.usdoj.gov or by calling 202-616-1152. How well do you know the Office of Justice Programs? Through the programs developed and funded by its bureaus and offices, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) works to form partnerships among Federal, State, and local government officials to control drug abuse and trafficking, reduce and prevent crime, rehabilitate neighborhoods, improve the administration of justice in America, meet the needs of crime victims, and address problems such as gang violence, prison crowding, juvenile crime, and white-collar crime. Visit www.ojp.gov to find out how your community can better use OJP's resources. ---------------------------- And when Dr. Martin Luther King presented the vision, there were people who came with him to make sure that the vision did not perish. And this happy collision of vision and people is the condition in which things change. --Attorney General John Ashcroft, Martin Luther King Commemoration, January 17, 2002, U.S. Department of Justice