Why this issue is important
- Last year, there were 98
homicides in San Francisco.1
- In 2005, there were 1,256
juvenile felony arrests of youth in San Francisco. The vast
majority of these arrests were for males ages 13 to 17.2
- For every 1,000 San Francisco
children, there were 47 reports of child abuse in 2006.2
- San Francisco had 5,086
domestic violence calls for assistance in 2006.2
“Kids are shooting each
other outside my window – that is real. I’m a part of SFOP
because together we are can take a stand on finding solutions to
stop the violence.”
Ana B. Gutierrez, SFOP Leader and
Board Member
Background
Community violence is a serious problem for all San Franciscans.
SFOP leaders know firsthand the fear that neighbors feel when they
shop, go out at night to attend meetings, or take the bus. Across
San Francisco, there is pain and anger when young people in our
communities are gunned down.
SFOP has worked on solutions at
three levels:
- Preventing violence through
improved workforce development and job opportunities for young
people.
- Calling for community policing
strategies.
- Increasing immediate public
safety through heightened security on MUNI lines.
Avenues of
Hope
The “Avenues of Hope” campaign includes proposals for juvenile
justice reform, a “small schools by design” education initiative,
and the creation of pathways to jobs in the new economy. SFOP
launched this citywide campaign in 2005 to address the renewed
violence by increasing resources and accountability for job training
and placement for youth aged 14-30. Since then, SFOP has won: $2
million in new funding for workforce development programs; 300
additional jobs for youth coming out of Juvenile Hall; an audit of
workforce development funding that exposed a dysfunctional and
wasteful system; and legislation to streamline the City’s different
workforce development programs into a more aligned and effective
system.
City and State Officials also
agreed to the following proposals:
- Find funding for juvenile
justice reform for the County of San Francisco, so that youth
have access to job training and educational programs
- Sponsoring an employment
summit with key SF businesses to create summer jobs for youth in
2006
- Implementing CityBuild and
replicate it with new industries including digital media,
biotech, and clean technology
- Creating an annual public
report card that documents progress of local hiring and keeps
our communities informed
- Community involvement in
Superintendent selection process
- Take “small schools by design
off closure list, including Aim High Academy, June Jordan School
for Equity, Sanchez Elementary
- Create a policy that supports
the development of “small schools by design” and gives them
autonomy to be successful
- Pass legislation to provide
health coverage for all California children
- Stop cuts to Medicaid that
would leave up to 1.5 million children without health insurance
“As faith
leaders, we acknowledge our responsibility to our youth but we
cannot do it alone, we need the city and the business community
to work together for our young people.”
Pastor Calvin Jones, Providence Baptist Church
Measurable results
-
$2 million in
new funding for workforce development programs
-
300 additional
jobs for youth coming out of Juvenile Hall
-
$2 million in
state funds to put cameras on unsafe MUNI lines, reducing
violent incidents on the 15 Mission line by 85%.
SFOP Violence Prevention Timeline
2005
“Avenues of Hope” campaign is launched, increasing resources and
accountability for job training and placement for youth aged 14-30.
1999
High school students at Immaculate Conception Academy (ICA)
organized to win support from Mayor Brown and $2 million in state
funds to put cameras on unsafe MUNI lines. As a result of this pilot
project, violent incidents on the 15 Mission line dropped by 85%.
1998
The SFOP leaders at Corpus Christi Catholic Church saw the need for
a youth center in their district and worked to see their vision
realized. The Center opened in the fall of 1998 and serves
approximately 950 youth from the Excelsior District.
1
"News
Release: Herrera Criticizes Adachi Proposal to Prioritize Gangs Over
Victims, Vulnerable for City Services.”
2
Kidsdata.org
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