Metro Detroit backs 'weed and seed' crime efforts

Angela Reyes saw top crime reduction potential five years ago. This was when the Detroit Hispanic Development Corp., where she is executive director, agreed to get involved in the U.S. Department of Justice "weed and seed" concept.

In one portion, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors "weed out" violent criminals and drug abusers in target areas. In another equally important aspect, agencies such as the Hispanic Development group cooperate to "seed" human services, such as prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration. A bridge between these two approaches is community-based neighborhood policing.

Southwest Detroit Weed and Seed, with Reyes volunteering as board chairwoman, is in the fourth year of a five-year arrangement. This year's Department of Justice grant is $175,000, but funds are shrinking.

"The collaboration between residents, community organizations, businesses and law enforcement has never been better. These are groups that had never really worked together before," Reyes says.

"Still, we have not been as successful in reducing crime as we would have wanted, because of the bad economy and budget cuts," she notes. "It's sort of a case that something is better than nothing, but at the same time there have been some individual success stories."

Metro Detroit has a second weed and seed site in Hamtramck. Operations in Highland Park and Inkster are "graduated sites" that have completed their five years of federal funding, but are still conducting activities. A project in the city of Detroit's northwest section has concluded operations. Other efforts extend northbound up to Flint and Saginaw.

Weed and Seed: A different approach

The Department of Justice adopted weed and seed in 1991. Before then, federal grants often had uniform standards for all local communities.

Weed and seed has focused on encouraging leaders in each target area to adopt their own original plans, says Lori Riggs, a Department of Justice community resource specialist for the Eastern District of Michigan.

She lists nearly 40 activities that southeast Michigan weed and seed groups have organized and supported in four main categories. Examples of law enforcement include multi-unit task forces and crime mapping. Community policing may involve crime watch training and safety seminars. For prevention/intervention/treatment, groups can get involved in anything from elder abuse reporting to parenting classes. Examples of neighborhood restoration range from foreclosure prevention to the planting of urban farm gardens.

"Program results vary, based on the needs of each individual community and the participation of steering committee and subcommittee members," Riggs says.

"Avenues and networks are created where information is shared by the community and law enforcement in a safe and focused environment. Residents, agencies, and law enforcement are given a voice and a stake in keeping their communities safe."

When weed and seed came to Highland Park during the 1990s, organizers said they needed to make residents familiar with the program. Reactions ranged from "it's a gardening program" to "it's an illegal drug program." Still, citizens have taken part in activities that range from community policing and National Night Out, to abandoned home board-ups and neighborhood cleanups. Residents have gathered for barbecue cook-offs and children's activities.

In Inkster, activities such as community computer labs and drug education camps are considered as weed and seed youth crime prevention. There even are ballet and tap dance classes. Older folks receive services that range from housing assistance to free tax preparation.

In Northwest Detroit Weed and Seed, organizers formed youth leadership programs and incorporated DEFY, Drug Education For Youth. Elementary students were exposed to "Police Officers Are Your Friends." The Youth Development Committee was a mix of adults and youth. After-school programs were emphasized.

Southwest Detroit tailors its approach

For the Southwest Detroit group, Reyes says strategy started to take shape while leaders prepared their funding application to the Department of Justice.

"We have concentrated on two primary groups, the reentry population (of prison parolees) and the younger people in gangs," Reyes says. "In each case, the focus is on bringing people together to work more closely together. We ask, how do we strengthen what's going on already, and then identify gaps for stronger strategies to identify issues."

Activities are numerous.

For just one example, parolees meet as groups in addition to with individual parole officers, and they receive support for needs such as housing and health care. One creative idea is tattoo removal, to improve a job applicant's chances of being hired.

Gang prevention is intended to stop misbehavior at its source, with intensive focus on community service. An adolescent or teen who is caught spraying graffiti, for instance, may face an assignment to remove the damage.

Although Reyes sees mixed results so far, she says an ultimate accomplishment will occur if partners succeed in setting up a Southwest Detroit community court.

"This would be a restorative justice and prevention model," Reyes says. "Judges need to have more tools than just locking people up."

SOURCES

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/ws/welcome.html

http://www.hpweedandseed.org/

http://www.cityofinkster.com/Business/WeedandSeed-Business.htm

http://www.dcjp.org/detroitweedandseed/aboutus.htm

http://www.dhdc1.org/what-we-do/our-collaborations/the-southwest-detroit-weed-seed/