Community Capacity Development Office 

W SEED 

WEED AND SEED 

TOPICAL PUBLICATION SERIES 

The 

eed and Seed 

Strategy 

EED & 

Office of Justice Programs

W

U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs 

810 Seventh Street NW. 

Washington, DC 20531 

John Ashcroft 

Attorney General 

Deborah J. Daniels 

Assistant Attorney General 

Office of Justice Programs 

Home Page 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov 

Community Capacity Development Office 

Office of Weed and Seed 

Home Page 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo 

NCJ 207498 

November 2004 

Office of Justice Programs 

Partnerships for Safer Communities 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov 
WEED AND SEED 

TOPICAL PUBLICATION SERIES 

The 

Strategy 

W SEED 

Weed and Seed 

EED & 
Overview


I

n 1991, the U.S. Department of Justice established 

Operation Weed and Seed—a community-based multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, 

and neighborhood restoration. Operation Weed and Seed is 

administered by the Community Capacity Development Office 

(CCDO), Office of Justice Programs. The goals of Weed and 

Seed are to control violent crime, drug trafficking, and drugrelated crime in designated high-crime neighborhoods and 

provide a safe environment free of crime and drug use for residents. The Weed and Seed strategy brings together Federal, 

State, and local crime-fighting agencies, social service 

providers, representatives of the public and private sectors, 

prosecutors, business owners, and neighborhood residents 

under the shared goal of weeding out violent crime and gang 

activity while seeding in social services and economic revitalization. Weed and Seed began with three pilot sites in 1991 

and has spread quickly to more than 300 high-crime neighborhoods across the Nation. 

The Weed and Seed strategy is a two-pronged approach to 

crime control and prevention: 

❥	 Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in 

“weeding out” criminals from the designated area. 

❥	 “Seeding” brings prevention, intervention, treatment, and 

neighborhood revitalization services to the area. 

The Weed and Seed approach is unique when compared with 

traditional crime prevention approaches of the past. The 

strategy is based on collaboration, coordination, community 

participation, and leveraging resources. Weed and Seed sites 

maximize existing programs and resources by coordinating 

and integrating existing Federal, State, local, and private 

sector initiatives, criminal justice efforts, and social services. 

The strategy also puts heavy emphasis on community participation. Residents of Weed and Seed neighborhoods are 

1 
2 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

actively involved in problem solving in their community. 

Neighborhood watches, citizen marches and rallies, cleanup 

events, drug-free zones, and graffiti removal are some of the 

common programs that encourage community participation 

and help prevent crime. 

Fundamental Principles 

Four fundamental principles underlie the Weed and Seed 

strategy. These include collaboration, coordination, community participation, and leveraging resources. These principles 

set Weed and Seed apart from traditional approaches of the 

past and are key to the success of the strategy at the neighborhood level. 

Collaboration 

A host of government departments at the Federal, State, and 

local levels; social service agencies; community organizations; 

private sector businesses; and residents play important roles 

in community safety. Each has a responsibility to the community and a stake in its future. In the past, these stakeholders did not have many opportunities to coordinate and 

share information, let alone plan strategically. Weed and Seed 

requires communities to establish a collaborative process to 

capitalize on the full potential that the formal and intentional 

interaction of stakeholders can provide. 

Collaboration leads to— 

❥	 Permanent channels of communication among 

stakeholders. 

❥	 Partnerships among organizations with similar goals. 

❥	 A strategic approach to effective crime prevention and 

restoration. 

❥	 Innovation. 
The Weed and Seed Strategy 3 

❥	 Broader support for the Weed and Seed strategy. 

❥	 Additional resources and support. 

Coordination 

The number of government agencies and community organizations providing services to our citizens is breathtaking. You 

may not even be aware of the many service providers in your 

area, the goals and objectives of each organization, and where 

there are overlapping and duplicative services. Weed and Seed 

brings together the officials who represent these organizations 

and assists in coordinating their activities. Coordination with 

other community-based Federal programs and Department of 

Justice programs, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods and the 

Serious and Violent Offender Initiative, is also critical to the 

strategy. Both vertical coordination across disciplines such as 

law enforcement, social services, and economic development 

and horizontal coordination, such as across levels of government, are critical to the Weed and Seed strategy. 

Coordination enables— 

❥	 Effective concentration of resources in designated 

neighborhoods. 

❥	 A better match of services with community needs. 

❥	 Identification and elimination of overlap and duplication. 

❥	 The maximum benefit from existing services and programs. 

Community Participation 

Communities that are empowered to solve their own problems 

function more effectively than communities that depend on 

services provided by “outsiders.” Workers who own part of the 

company are more committed than those who simply collect a 

paycheck. Initiatives that empower communities to help themselves, involve residents in decisionmaking processes, and 
4 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

encourage broad citizen involvement will be more effective 

than those that simply provide services to people or clients. 

Clients are people who are dependent upon and controlled 

by their helpers and leaders. Clients are people who understand themselves in terms of their deficiencies and 

people who wait for others to act on their behalf. Citizens, on the other hand, are people who understand their 

problems in their own terms. Citizens perceive their relationship to one another and they believe in their capacity 

to act. Good clients make bad citizens. Good citizens 

make strong communities. 

Leveraging Resources 

CCDO disseminates funding to local sites in support of their 

Weed and Seed strategies. These funds are limited, however, 

and cannot provide the entire amount of resources required to 

transform and revitalize a neighborhood experiencing high 

crime and social and economic decay. Therefore, the Weed and 

Seed strategy is an opportunity for a community to leverage 

the available resources—funding, strategic planning, and organizational structures—that enable communities to tap into 

additional resources from Federal, State, and local agencies, 

foundations, corporations, and other funding organizations. 

A Weed and Seed site is well placed to capitalize on a number 

of funding sources in both the public and private sectors. In 

fact, Weed and Seed sites are expected to leverage all available 

resources to fully fund their strategies for law enforcement, 

crime prevention, and neighborhood revitalization. 

Weed and Seed is managed and administered through CCDO, 

a program office within the Office of the Assistant Attorney 

General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. 

CCDO provides grant management, technical assistance, training programs, and other resources to support local Weed and 

Seed strategies. 
The Weed and Seed Strategy 5 

WEED AND SEED VOCABULARY 

Weeding—consists of law enforcement’s and prosecutors’ efforts to 

“weed out” criminals who participate in violent crime and drug abuse 

through enforcement, adjudication, prosecution, and supervision. 

Seeding—brings prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood 

revitalization services to the area. 

Community Policing—is a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the community to identify problems of crime and disorder 

and involve all elements of the community in the search for solutions 

to these problems. 

Neighborhood Restoration—revitalizes distressed neighborhoods and 

improves the quality of life in the designated communities. Focuses on 

neighborhood revitalization and economic development designed to 

strengthen legitimate community institutions. 

Safe Haven—is a multiservice center in which a variety of 

youth and adult services are coordinated in a highly visible, 

accessible facility. Youth and other residents can also 

develop relationships, find opportunities, and enhance 

skills here. 

Steering Committee—is the primary organizational 

body governing Weed and Seed 

sites. 

CCDO—Community Capacity 

Development Office. 

The Four Components of the 

Weed and Seed Strategy 

Weed and Seed is a comprehensive response to crime and 

neighborhood deterioration. Therefore, the strategy is a multilevel strategic plan that includes four basic components: 
6 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

❥ Law enforcement. 

❥ Community policing. 

❥ Prevention, intervention, and treatment. 

❥ Neighborhood restoration. 

Law enforcement and community policing represent the 

“weeding” aspect of the strategy. The focus of community 

policing is improving the relationship and accountability 

between law enforcement and residents. Prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration represent the 

seeding components. 

Law Enforcement 

Law enforcement activities weed out violent offenders by coordinating and integrating the efforts of Federal, State, and local 

law enforcement agencies in designated high-crime neighborhoods. Law enforcement goals are the identification, arrest, 

prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of violent criminals 

and drug traffickers operating in the designated area. 

Some of the law enforcement initiatives in the Weed and Seed 

sites focus on special enforcement operations such as repeat or 

violent offender focused programs, intensified narcotics investigations, targeted prosecutions, victim-witness protection, 

and elimination of narcotics trafficking organizations operating in these areas. 

Community Policing 

The goal of community policing is to establish mutual trust 

between law enforcement and residents. It aims to raise the level 

of citizen and community involvement in crime prevention and 

intervention activities to solve drug-related problems in neighborhoods and enhance the level of community security. Activities 

focus on increasing police visibility and developing cooperative 

relationships between the police and residents in the designated 

areas. Foot patrols, cooperative problem solving, victim referrals 
The Weed and Seed Strategy 7 

to support services, police ministations, and nuisance abatement 

activities increase positive interaction between the police and the 

community. Community-oriented policing bridges weeding and 

seeding strategies. Officers obtain helpful information from area 

residents for weeding efforts while they aid residents with 

community revitalization and seeding resources. 

Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment 

The prevention, intervention, and treatment component of the 

Weed and Seed strategy addresses the needs of the community 

and helps prevent crime and violence by addressing the risk 

and protective factors associated with drug abuse, violence, 

and crime. Coordinated efforts of law enforcement, social 

service agencies, private sector businesses, and residents help 

improve the provision of services. Prevention, intervention, 

and treatment include youth services, school programs, and 

social programs. Safe Haven, for example, provides a mechanism for organizing and delivering an array of youth- and 

adult-oriented human services in a multiservice center setting 

such as a school. Every Weed and Seed site has at least one 

Safe Haven. 

Neighborhood Restoration and Economic Development 

The neighborhood restoration element of the Weed and Seed 

strategy is designed to revitalize distressed neighborhoods 

and improve the quality of life in the designated communities 

through economic development and a revitalization of the 

community’s health and wellness. Neighborhood restoration 

programs help to improve living conditions; enhance home 

security; allow for low-cost physical improvements; develop 

long-term efforts to renovate and maintain housing; and 

provide educational, economic, social, recreational, and other 

opportunities. Neighborhood restoration can be achieved only 

through the coordinated use of Federal, State, local, and 

private sector resources. 

Economic development activities help strengthen legitimate 

community institutions by enhancing employment opportunities for residents, improving housing conditions, and 
8 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

improving the physical environment. Weed and Seed efforts 

help stabilize the community and promote restoration. 

Key Elements of the Weed and Seed Strategy 

The Steering Committee 

The Steering Committee provides a governing structure for the 

Weed and Seed initiative. It convenes key stakeholders, identifies the areas of greatest need, facilitates the collaboration of 

the stakeholders through the Steering Committee and subcommittees, develops a strategic plan, identifies the roles and 

commitments of the partners, mobilizes new and existing 

resources to implement goals and objectives, establishes and 

tracks accountability measures, balances weeding and seeding 

efforts, and provides oversight and leadership for the Weed 

and Seed strategy. 

Membership on the Steering Committee is diverse. It consists 

of key Federal, State, and local agencies and stakeholders such 

as the U.S. Attorney, elected officials, law enforcement, prosecutors, agency leaders, community-based organizations, and 

residents such as neighborhood leaders, faith-based representatives, and businesses. It is usually cochaired by the U.S. 

Attorney and a key local official such as the mayor or chief of 

police. 

The Strategic Plan 

Every Weed and Seed site is directed by a strategic plan developed by the Steering Committee through a process of assessing 

community problems and needs; developing sound resolutions 

and responses; and securing necessary resources and participation. The Steering Committees engage a wide range of people 

from their neighborhoods and organizations to plan this 

strategic approach, sharing information, analyzing the problems 

and proposed solutions, and coordinating delivery. 
The Weed and Seed Strategy 9 

Key Players 

The U.S. Attorney coordinates Federal, State, and local law 

enforcement and prosecutorial activities, as well as oversight 

of the Weed and Seed strategy. It is through the U.S. 

Attorney’s Office that the Weed and Seed application is 

submitted. The initial meetings are often supported through 

the U.S. Attorney’s Office, providing meeting space, mailing 

resources, planning assistance, and other necessary items. 

The mayor and the mayor’s office have responsibility to the 

neighborhoods designated as Weed and Seed sites, along with 

management of the many agencies and organizations that get 

involved with a Weed and Seed site. Commitment and dedication from the mayor are critical to Weed and Seed’s collaborative approach. 

The Weed and Seed coordinator manages the Steering Committee, organizes day-to-day program activities, and oversees 

weeding and seeding initiatives. In many sites, there are two 

people performing these tasks—a weed coordinator and a seed 

coordinator. These are people who can communicate well; convene a diverse group of people and assist them in accomplishing 

a shared agenda; and juggle tasks, demands, and challenges. 

Residents are a critical component to the Weed and Seed 

strategy. The community must be involved from the beginning 

in helping to identify priorities and formulate local solutions. 

Weed and Seed empowers communities to solve their own 

problems. Citizen involvement, whether through community 

meetings, local projects, marches, rallies, involvement on the 

Steering Committee, or other activities, is a key component for 

a successful Weed and Seed project. 

Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are essential to the weeding activities of your site. 

Collaboration between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors will increase the effectiveness of enforcement efforts in 

your designated area, thus reducing crime and improving the 

quality of life for residents. 
10 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

Many other municipal, county, State, and Federal agencies 

have a role on the Steering Committee to support and participate in prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood 

restoration efforts. Prevention, intervention, and treatment 

agencies might include substance abuse, child protection, 

domestic violence, senior services, public health, juvenile and 

adult courts, drug courts, probation and parole, mental health, 

and other related agencies. Neighborhood restoration efforts 

might include community development corporations, housing 

and economic development, public housing, employment, 

transportation, environmental, and code-enforcement agencies. 

Business partners help sites build and leverage resources to 

create positive change for the community. To create a comprehensive strategy, involve business leaders in your activities. 

Ask local businesses to sponsor community festivals and 

events. A local hardware store might be willing to donate paint 

for a graffiti “paint-out.” 

Faith-based organizations are often the heart of communities, 

particularly urban centers. Churches and other faith-based 

groups have resources and the unique ability to facilitate change 

and increase community involvement in Weed and Seed efforts. 

Youth-serving organizations are important members in any 

comprehensive community effort. As important as the prevention and intervention components are to the Weed and Seed 

strategy, it is also important not to duplicate efforts. Sites 

must work collaboratively with other youth-serving organizations to ensure that youth in the designated areas receive the 

resources and services needed. 

How To Become a Recognized Weed and Seed Site 

The process for developing a Weed and Seed strategy requires 

significant commitment by the community to engage in 

strategic planning, collaborate with key stakeholders, and 

coordinate programs and services. 
The Weed and Seed Strategy 11 

The basic characteristics of the strategic planning process are—


❥ A focused process that concentrates on selected issues.


❥ Consideration of resource availability.


❥ Assessment of community problems and needs.


❥ An action orientation with a strong emphasis on practical


results. 

❥ An emphasis on innovative approaches to problem solving. 

The six basic planning stages involved in developing the Weed 

and Seed strategy are—


Stage 1 Organize and convene a Weed and Seed Steering


Committee. 

Stage 2 Select or confirm the designated neighborhood. 

Stage 3 Conduct a community assessment of the designated 

neighborhood. 

Stage 4 Select priorities and strategies to address neighborhood challenges. 

Stage 5 Identify goals, objectives, and major tasks. 

Stage 6 Develop an implementation plan. 

Steps to Official Recognition 

1. Organize and convene a Steering Committee. The Steering 

Committee meets and identifies the designated neighborhood, conducts a needs assessment for the designated 

neighborhood, identifies existing resources and gaps where 

new resources are needed, develops implementation activities, and develops the implementation schedule. 

2. Request an application for official recognition. 
12 Weed and Seed Topical Publication Series 

3. Communities that develop a Weed and Seed strategy in 

coordination with their U.S. Attorney’s Office may submit 

an application for official recognition to CCDO. 

Contact 

Community Capacity Development Office 

810 Seventh Street NW. 

Washington, DC 20531 

Phone: 202–616–1152 

Fax: 202–616–1159 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo 
W S EED & EED

Please feel free to make photocopies of this publication. 

More copies of The Weed and Seed Strategy can be obtained 

by calling 

1-800-851-3420 

and asking for NCJ #207498.