Minutes 05/26/2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 26. 2009 Next Steps following City Council Action: . The resolution will be sent to Congressman Scott at his Washington, D.C. office. Motion by Ms. Randall, and seconded by Mr. Heretick, to adopt the following resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: "RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CONGRESSIONAL BILLS H.R. 1064 AND S. 435, THE YOUTH PRISON REDUCTION THROUGH OPPORTUNITY, MENTORING, INTERVENTION, SUPPORT AND EDUCATION ACT (YOUTH PROMISE ACT) TO ADDRESS YOUTH GANG AND CRIME CHALLENGES. WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth is committed to insuring that youth lead productive, safe, healthy, gang-free and law-abiding lives; and WHEREAS, evidence-based and promising practices related to juvenile delinquency and criminal street crime activity prevention and intervention are needed to help build resiliency in youth and individual, family, and community strength; and WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth, Virginia has witnessed an increase in youth- gang presence and gang activity over the past two years; and WHEREAS, in the City of Portsmouth, this youth-gang activity has resulted in an increase in vandalism, burglaries, robberies, and murders; and WHEREAS, the Portsmouth Police Department has developed a Gang-Squad which has been actively working with civic, community, and school groups and other governmental entities to reach out to youth and educate them about the lifetime perils associated with gang membership and criminal gang activity; and WHEREAS, a recent youth summit in the City demonstrated the need for more education and outreach became evident when a youth participant stated that gangs offer power, money and respect; and WHEREAS, the citizens of Portsmouth lament that too many of our youth are adhering to this gang philosophy and mentality leading to a loss of too many of our youth to jail, life-time disabilities, jailor prison; and WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth, Virginia recognizes and acknowledges that our youth are our future; and WHEREAS, H.R. 10641 S. 435, the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education Act (Youth PROMISE Act) introduced by Representatives Robert "Bobby" Scott and Michael Castle on February 13, 2009, and its companion bill S.435 introduced by Senators Robert Casey and Olympia Snow would amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994; and WHEREAS, the Youth PROMISE Act establishes a PROMISE Advisory Panel to assist the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in: · Addressing and developing standards and evidence-based practices to prevent juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity: · Collecting data in designated geographic area to assess the needs and existing resources for juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity prevention and intervention; and WHEREAS, the Youth PROMISE Act authorizes grants to local governments to: