The Youth Crime Watch in America: An Overview

In the first year of its existence the program was a big success. It started out at the Senior High School in North Miami Beach. Students helped to reduce school's drug trafficking by more than half. They snitched on the drug pushers. There was also a problem of chain snatching which decreased by three-fourth percent. Most important was the students confidence levels. They could see the difference in their lives and the atmosphere of the school.

The Youth Crime Watch caught on nationally in 1986. The established the Youth Crime of America or YCWA. This is a nonprofit organization that supports the efforts of the Youth Crime Watch by spreading the word throughout Florida and the United States. They are helping to form more charter organizations around the world. In 1999 Jovens Contra O Crime (Youth Against Crime) was formed d in San Paulo, Brazil.

This program has been recognized by former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush and Ronald Reagan. It was also name as a U.S. Department of Education Exemplary Program of Excellence. It has also been endorsed by the Governor's Office, the Florida State Legislature, and the Florida Department of Education, as well as many other local agencies and corporations. The program has nine components:

1. Crime Reporting- teaches the students to have the courage to tell. If they know that a crime is about to be committed, or has been committed, they should report it.

2. Youth Patrols- they patrol the campus in pairs or small groups to ensure that things are running smoothly.

3. Drug, Violence, and Crime Prevention Education- This consists of educating through music or posters, etc.

4. Bus Safety- they help the driver by an extra pair of eyes, They may see a weapon that gets missed by the driver,

5. Mentoring- Students that are well behaved are paired with others who can use a little mentoring in that area.

6. Conflict Resolution- This is about calming a heated situation so that the results can be beneficial to everyone concerned.

7. Mediation- trained students who listen to the student of conflict and helps them to help themselves with the guidance of the Authoritative figure.

8. Peer and Cross-Age Teaching- A way for students to teach each other. Students tend to listen to one another more than adults.

9. Action Projects- Project-based ideas such as food drives, forum and discussions about drug and violence in the community.

These students want to learn and grow while being liked and respected by their peers. They want to do this in a safe and fun environment.

http://www.ycwa.org/