Crime Prevention & Community Building

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2015 Crime Prevention & Community Building

2 Mission Seattle Neighborhood Group s mission is to prevent crime and build community through partnerships with residents, businesses, law enforcement and other organizations. Goals Reduce crime and the fear of crime Connect people to their communities and each other Develop or enhance communal problem-solving capacity Demonstrate effective partnerships with other organizations Letter from the Executive Director & Founder Seattle Neighborhood Group has had tremendous, meaningful impact in neighborhoods all over the City since its formation in will bring new leadership to the agency as our founder and Executive Director, Kay Godefroy, retires. Over the the past three decades, the variety of our work has been amazing - graffiti paint-outs, community clean ups, gun buy backs, crime prevention education and the early days of problem-solving work around crime. Today our data informed crime prevention work, utilizing all of our skills and experience, is producing documented and evaluated positive outcomes. We have made Seattle a safer place to live, work and play. The Board of Directors and SNG staff have worked hard to prepare the organization for the transition. Our Associate Director, Linda Spain will assume responsibilities of Acting Director while the SNG Board prepares for the search process. This process will result in a strong, visionary candidate to lead Seattle Neighborhood Group into 2017 and beyond. These are times for aiming high and expecting extraordinary rewards. Kay Godefroy Executive Director & Founder Seattle Neighborhood Group Seattle Neighborhood Group has been making a positive impact on our community s most pressing safety challenges for 25 years. As we work to fulfill our mission, we are committed to engaging people, encouraging participation, and solving challenging problems together. The relationships we develop and trust we build are critical to doing our work effectively, and they are undoubtedly our most valuable assets. Our staff is an extremely committed group of people with a broad set of skills that support public safety work in many neighborhoods. Our Board of Directors is drawn from various neighborhoods where we are active, and bring wide ranging expertise and strong support to our agency. Throughout our agency s history, we have worked with as many people as we can bring together to create safe neighborhoods. Annual Report

3 SNG Focused-Sites Crime Prevention Model Three years ago, SNG piloted a place-based program to focus our crime prevention and community building work on geographically small crime hot spots with a history of low levels of community engagement. Those projects were evaluated as successful by a team of researchers from Southern Illinois University and University of Arizona. In 2015 we started two new sites, created more robust foundations for the project model, including developing more rigorous information gathering and evaluation instruments and models. Our crime prevention practitioners deepened their skills, and are making great connections out in these communities. Our approach includes making community connections and establishing relationships quickly, surveying the community regarding crime, and assessing challenges in the built environment that are facilitating misuse. We build strong connections with those on site, and use our experience bringing people and groups together to problem-solve crime at these small sites. Developing and Bringing Knowledge to Our Communities: American Society of Criminology 2015 and Our SNG Academic Research Partners We began working with our current research partners, Dr. Charlotte Gill from George Mason University, Dr. Julie Hibdon from Southern Illinois University, Dr. Cody Telep from University of Arizona, and Zoe Vitter (GMU) in recent years as project managers on two large projects. Knowledge flows both directions between us; from SNG to the academic community how to work successfully in communities, finding out what is really happening, and using place-based crime prevention in a rigorous and ethical way; and from the research community to SNG grounding our work in criminology theory, helping us understand what our crime data is (or isn t) showing, evaluating our outcomes, and sharing best practices and new information. In 2015 our academic partners encouraged us to participate in the American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting where they would present the evaluation of an SNG project, so we developed a full concept model of that project, our Focused-Site crime prevention project, and ASC Conference 2015: Tari Nelson-Zagar, Tine Bueche, Kay Godefroy presented it in a poster session. Many of the academic researchers who visited the SNG poster presentation and discussed our work were surprised to find a model that had been deployed, evaluated, and was successful. Community Partner Projects Working closely with several partner organizations in the community, SNG provides fiscal sponsorship, mentoring, administrative assistance, encouragement and support. These groups represent diverse organizations, neighborhood associations, youth programs, crime prevention groups, and include: the West Seattle Block Watch Captain s Network, Detective Cookie s Urban Chess Club, Young Urban Authors, the Colman Neighborhood Association, Totem Star Records, Umoja P.E.A.C.E. Center, and many others. Other community activities include National Night Out events, youth projects, festivals, and cleanup projects. SNG has guided many fiscally sponsored projects to establish their own 501(c)(3) organization. Annual Report

4 Safe Communities In helping communities to reduce or prevent crime, SNG through the Safe Communities project places important emphasis on crime prevention and community building within our most vulnerable populations. Through collaborative partnerships SNG provides leadership development, crime prevention education, grass roots organizing and crime hot spot problem solving. In 2015 SNG supported over 105 community events to provide crime prevention information to nearly 8,000 people throughout Seattle. Community education was provided to nearly 2,000 people in Personal Safety, Basic 911, neighborhood nuisance problem solving, Crime Prevention Memos, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), and Landlord Training for crime-free housing. SNG provides crime prevention informational brochures translated into 11 languages: Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Tigrinya, Amharic, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, Arabic, and English. African Community Crime Prevention For many African immigrants and refugees, the cultural challenges and learning to work with various state and city agencies, including the police department, in order to be safe and implement crime prevention strategies can be a daunting task. Beginning in 2001, Seattle Neighborhood Group has worked closely with African immigrant and refugee communities, including working with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the East African Advisory Council to SPD. Our work brings African communities together to work on community safety, youth concerns and gang prevention. Meetings and activities brought youth, parents and elders together to address community safety problems, also allowing elders to share important cultural values and customs with the youth. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Over the years, SNG has used Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design as an effective approach in analyzing places, usually at the request of communities all over Seattle. This past year, we deepened our use of these principles, and bring them to more of our crime prevention approaches. Our newest Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practicing staff certified as advanced practitioners in 2015, joining SNG s senior CPTED practitioners, and putting the knowledge to immediate use. Annual Report

5 Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth The Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth (RB: ABSPY) is an innovative, community-led, place-based youth crime prevention and intervention initiative focused on five hotspot locations in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. The goal is to reduce youth victimization and crime by holistically addressing its root causes at these hotspots through non-arrest strategies. RB: ABSPY is a collaboration of HSD, SNG, Seattle Police Department (SPD), Seattle Office of Economic Development, research partner George Mason University (GMU) and many others. Initial funding was provided by a 2012 Bureau of Justice Assistance Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program Grant. The RB: ABSPY approach is based on the research indicating that crime, particularly crime involving youth, is highly concentrated at small geographic units, or hotspots, such as street segments, within larger areas. The choice for non-arrest solutions is grounded in a strong body of research suggesting that traditional policing tactics may not be appropriate for high-risk youth. RB: ABSPY emphasizes the community role as a positive influence for youth by setting and imposing informal social norms and standards. Summer Youth Engagement Program at Yesler Terrace Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), in partnership with SNG, provides opportunities for Yelser Terrace youth through the SHA Summer Youth Engagement Program. The summer program, managed by SNG, matched youth with employers engaged in the Yesler Terrace redevelopment. The youth gain job skills and vital life skills. Youth work at their jobsites between Monday and Thursday, and on Fridays they meet to reflect on their work experiences with each other, attend workshops on job readiness and learn more about the Yesler Terrace redevelopment. The also develop interpersonal and communication skills that could help them in their future professional and personal lives. Impact! Safe Schools 2015 Over 100 Seattle area high school students in leadership or peer influence positions attended the 2015 IMPACT! Safe Schools conference at Seattle University. The conference goal is to challenge and provide the students with the knowledge and opportunity to help shape and maintain a safe and secure environment within their respective high schools. Students enhance their leadership skills while raising consciousness about school safety issues. Officers from the Seattle Police Department, Mercer Island Police Department, graduate students from Seattle University s School of Psychology, and community members also participated in the conference. IMPACT! Safe Schools is a collaborative effort between SNG, Seattle University, Seattle University s Department of Education, and the Department of Public Safety & Transportation, the Seattle Police Department, Seattle Public Schools, and the Archdiocese of Seattle Education Dept. Annual Report

6 Seattle Neighborhood Group Core Values Seattle Neighborhood Group s role as a leader in community safety requires all persons involved with Seattle Neighborhood Group to assume the responsibility of maintaining the public s trust. To fulfill this obligation to the community and ourselves, our Core Values provide the foundation on which we base our actions and decisions. Integrity We act with the highest level of accountability, we provide fair, accurate and honest disclosure of information, and we treat all individuals in a fair and responsible manner, inspiring the highest level of trust within our communities. Inclusiveness We embrace diversity. We understand that Seattle Neighborhood Group is strong as an organization because of the respect, dignity, and value we give to all individuals, and because we aspire to involve people from all segments of our communities in every aspect of our work. Teamwork and Communication We value teamwork. We believe building trust among each other produces the best results. We believe that when we promote and practice effective communication we will build an even strong team that will make a difference in our community and the people we serve. Community Collaboration We successfully impact the challenges facing our communities through our spirit of collaboration. We are successful conveners, bringing together and working with the community to accomplish common goals. We consider the development of volunteer leadership a critical component of service to our communities. Get Off the Streets Get Off the Streets (GOTS) is a partnership of SNG, the Seattle Police Department, City of Seattle Human Services Department, and People of Color Against Aids Network (POCAAN). The goal of the GOTS program is to reduce crime in Seattle s East Precinct, by providing services to people involved in nonviolent street crime who are drug/alcohol dependent and homeless. In 2015, 52 individuals received services, including case management, treatment, housing, job readiness, YMCA memberships, and education. While receiving services, GOTS client criminal recidivism dramatically decreased. While active in the program, 80% of the clients did not participate in criminal activity. Graduates of the GOTS program rarely re-offend. Standardized outcomes and output measurement for the GOTS program represent a continuum of change and include both human services measures and crime prevention related measures, based on the premise that human service gains for individuals lead to reduced criminal offending. In 2015 job readiness training was added to the program. The GOTS program has provided support in a more warm and loving way than any other program that has assisted me. It is run by people who truly care for the clients, and it is clear that they do the work out of love GOTS Client Landlord Training Workshops for Crime Free Rental Housing SNG Landlord Training workshops for landlords and property managers were offered throughout the year. Focusing on keeping rental properties safe of illegal activity, workshop attendees learned about effective property management, and techniques for dealing with nuisance or illegal activities by renters. In 2015, landlords and propertymanagers who attended the workshops represented 28 properties for a total of nearly 2,000 rental units. SNG also provided up-to-date instructional manuals at a reasonable price for those in need of crime-free rental housing information. Annual Report

7 Revenue $1,198, Contracts & Grants Community Partner Projects Fees and Product Sales Contributions, Investments & Misc Contracts & Grants $1,023, Community Partner Projects $117, Fees and Product Sales $49, Contributions, Investments & Misc $7, Expense $1,259, Crime Prevention & Community Building Community Partner Projects Intervention Projects* Crime Prevention Products, Fundraising & Misc Crime Prevention & Community Building $845, Community Partner Projects $148,428.00** Intervention Projects* $262, Crime Prevention Products, Fundraising & Misc $3, *Get Off the Streets (GOTS) ** Several Sponsored projects received 501c3 recognition - restricted funds transferred to the new entities. Annual Report

8 SNG Board of Directors Tina Bueche, Chair Dan Wiseman, Vice Chair Denise Harnly, Treasurer Michael Yee, Secretary Fabienne Fae Brooks Steve Shulman Renee Hopkins SNG Staff Kay Godefroy, Executive Director Linda Spain, Associate Director Tari Nelson-Zagar, Project Manager Barb Biondo, Senior Project Coordinator Kylie Helmuth, Senior Project Coordinator Allan Davis, Project Coordinator Michael Neguse, African Community Ron Howell, Project Coordinator Gina Lee, Project Coordinator Donnitta Sinclair, Administrative Assistant Yes Segura, Intern, Florida State University Seattle Neighborhood Group 1810 East Yesler Way Seattle, WA (206) SNG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered with the Secretary of State of the State of Washington Find us on Annual Report