OCTOBER 2014, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 10
 

IN THIS ISSUE 

Clergy Police Academy Keeps the Faith in Memphis 

San Jose Puts Creative Youth to Work 

Announcements and Upcoming Events 

Training Opportunities 

Update 

News and Views 

• Reports 

• News 

MEMPHIS FAITH LEADERS 

ATTEND POLICE ACADEMY 

TRAINING 

by Alison Lake Benadada 

On Sept. 26 in Memphis, Tenn., a violent juvenile 

flash mob erupted after a high school football game— 

the city's second incident of youth violence that 

month. In response, Memphis Police Department 

Director Toney Armstrong called for more law 

enforcement at school events, noting, "It is also 

imperative that parents and guardians become more 

engaged in their children's day-to-day activities." 

These events underscore the ongoing need to 

maintain and nurture community partnerships to curb 

youth violence in Memphis, despite progress reducing 

gang activity and other violence.1 

Faith communities have had a visible role in this 

citywide effort for years. Since 2012, the Memphis 

Police Department has engaged in a valuable 

partnership with the city's clergy and faith-based 

leaders through its Clergy Police Academy (CLPA). 

During the 5-week program, clergy and faith leaders 

receive 15 hours of training from law enforcement 

staff. The program has produced 172 graduates. 

SAN JOSE MENTORS 

BUDDING PRODUCERS 

by Carrie Nathans 

Born talent is a gift. But with a good teacher, the tools 

and time to practice, and an open stage, talent can 

become art. 

As lucky as it is to have a natural skill, honing one's 

craft still takes resources. This concept is religion to 

the media mentors of the City of San Jose, Calif., 

Digital Arts Underserved and Gifted (U&G) program, 

who are linking youths with the space, equipment, 

and guidance they need to truly be stars. 

Intercept, engage, ignite ... words you don't typically 

hear when it comes to college and career prep. But 

this is U&G's mission, and seeing it through are audio 

engineers, deejays, graphic designers, and 

songwriters. Four community centers—Mayfair DJ 

Academy, Roosevelt Digital Arts Troupe Academy, 

and Alma and Seven Trees Music Studios—have 

opened their doors to San Jose's diamonds in the 

rough. These kids are budding digital artists from 

underprivileged neighborhoods. When crime and 

gang activity are at their peak, the centers offer more 

than a safe alternative. They are a haven for selfexpression—an interactive classroom teaching the 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 CLPA Graduating Class 

Sgt. Julius Beasley of the department's crime 

prevention unit hopes participating clergy will bring 

the lessons learned in training to their communities, 

achieving "more collaborative involvement and a 

stronger, active presence that is visible to community 

residents." Beasley said this includes "creative 

partnerships with law enforcement to combat crime 

and environmental factors that often breed crime, 

such as poverty, neighborhood blight, gang culture, 

truancy, and inadequate parental supervision." 

Clergy and Police Strengthen Ties 

Launched by Memphis police and faith leaders, CLPA 

is an educational awareness program intended to 

support and strengthen collaboration between faithbased communities and law enforcement. The 

curriculum consists of classroom instruction and 

group discussion, emphasizing common law 

enforcement and crime-related issues that affect 

clergy and their congregations. 

Faith communities often provide families and youth 

with information, counseling, and support. Through 

coordination with local police departments, they are 

better equipped to enhance the capacity of 

communities to respond to criminal violence with 

effective networks of victim assistance and faithbased support. 

Diverse Trainings Promote Safety 

According to its mission, CLPA "aims to help 

consolidate the efforts of both law enforcement and 

faith-based leaders to create a stronger, safer city for 

all citizens." The initiative helps clergy understand 

how police deal with crime professionally and 

personally. Participants receive classes on domestic 

abuse and violence, sex crimes and human 

trafficking, gangs and juvenile crimes, and homicides 

and suicides. A graduation ceremony recognizes 

those who complete academy classes. 

The justice departments, organizations, and 

professionals who lead CLPA trainings include U.S. 

Attorney Edward Stanton; FBI Special Agent Tracey 

Harris–Branch (human trafficking); County District 

Attorney General Amy Weirich (criminal justice 

best possible lessons. 

What happens here is professional training. Hip-hop 

artists and industry pros in photography, film, writing, 

and production help young people cultivate their skills. 

Media mentors are city staff and volunteers with 

extensive experience. Some are even former U&G 

students, keeping the wheels of a virtuous system in 

motion. 

The centers give teens a taste of theory, composition, 

directing, acting, and graphic design. There's so much 

inspiration pulsing in the studios that students want 

more—more learning, more education, more 

opportunity. And that's the conduit to a major in music 

or a career in digital arts. 

Funded by San Jose's Parks, Recreation and 

Neighborhood Services (PRNS) and site startup 

grants from Adobe, the high-quality equipment is 

another boon. When a singer comes in to lay down 

tracks, she is getting the real experience—the 

instrumental accompaniment, the mixing and 

mastering ... even the recording. 

To raise more money, PRNS launched the Indiegogo 

Underserved and Gifted campaign. With perks like 

CDs, T-shirts, studio time, and photo shoots, local 

businesses, digital media companies, and individual 

supporters chipped in, netting about $5,000 last 

summer. The campaign's success softened the blow 

of a stagnant budget. 

The U&G initiative simply works, and participants 

have received national and international praise. "So 

many students go on to pursue [postsecondary] 

education after they complete high school," said 

Phillip Du, a U&G volunteer media mentor and 

assistant. 

Marlo Custodio, academy director for the Roosevelt 

Digital Arts Troupe, is one of the best examples. Now 

a documentary filmmaker and community organizer, 

he graduated from the University of California, Santa 

Cruz, with a degree in film and digital media studies. 

Although Custodio's loyalty runs deep for his 

community and neighborhood youth, his creative 

abilities know no bounds. He has produced for 

Google, Intel, and ASUS, and his work has even 

played at the White House. 

For the kids whose school and job obligations leave 

little free time, there's always summer camp. At the 

Roosevelt Community Center, teens learn how to 

bring their movie ideas to fruition. It's a crash course 

in filmmaking that has students dreaming big. 

"Countless types of projects are created at our 

studios," said Du. "One notable one was a music 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

system); judges from the juvenile court system; police 

supervisors and officers from department bureaus 

such as homicide, domestic violence, child abuse and 

child sexual abuse, gangs, and organized crime 

(undercover operations); and other agencies that 

provide family services, youth intervention, and 

victims assistance. 

When addressing youth and youth violence, CLPA 

discusses gang awareness and intervention, identifies 

mentoring opportunities through the juvenile justice 

system, and reviews community outreach initiatives 

emphasizing youth violence prevention and support. 

During the session, clergy also accompany officers on 

neighborhood patrols. This optional "ride along" 

component is part of the curriculum. Participants have 

reported that this was the most meaningful part of the 

training. "I would safely say over 90 percent of the 

clergy participated in the ride-along," Sgt. Beasley 

said. "Most have expressed a greater appreciation 

and respect for law enforcement officers, as well as a 

greater awareness of the serious social, economic, 

and criminal challenges existing in our communities." 

Building Mutual Understanding 

The program is also intended to change clergy 

perceptions of the police. "We conduct an end-oftraining survey assessment that inquires about the 

'before and after' perception of the police," said Sgt. 

Beasley. "An overwhelming majority reported their 

perception about the police improved, while the rest 

reported that it remained the same, which was 

generally positive." 

The clergy academy is open to leaders from all faith 

traditions and religious denominations. For example, 

several clergy from the Muslim community have 

graduated from the training. 

Sgt. Beasley shared another prominent example of 

police–clergy cooperation to reduce youth violence in 

Memphis: "The Breaking the Cycle BOYS Symposium 

was a very successful collaboration earlier this year 

between local law enforcement, clergy leaders from 

the academy, and other community leaders. Over 400 

teenage males throughout the Memphis school 

system attended the symposium. The impact was 

visible and meaningful." 

Focusing on Positive Gains 

Pastor Keith Norman of First Baptist Church on Broad 

Avenue in Memphis has participated in the National 

Forum and clergy academy since its inception several 

years ago. "I thought clergy needed to know more 

about what the police force is doing," he said. "We are 

on the ground in a lot of urban communities. It is 

important as community stakeholders to present the 

information about law enforcement in a 

video recorded at Seven Trees Music Studio and 

filmed by Roosevelt Digital Arts. The video was 

entered in an international media contest [hosted] by 

Adobe, and won first place (beating 1,300 

submissions worldwide) in the Music Video category. 

"Receiving first place meant so much to this youth," 

said Custodio. "Ever since, he has been in this 

momentum of success." This month, three new short 

films were chosen to be in the San Jose International 

Short Film Festival [to address] violence and crime 

prevention. 

Since 2011, U&G has mentored some 600 San Jose 

youths. The next goal is ramping up operations and 

building a connection with tech companies in Silicon 

Valley. If they can swing it, this could mean more 

teens applying to (and graduating from) college, and 

more of those grads getting the jobs they really want. 

What U&G is really after, though, is opportunity. After 

all, how many people can take their passion all the 

way? 

Learn more about the Underserved and Gifted 

initiative: 

https://www.facebook.com/underservedandgifted 

NEWS & 

VIEWS 

Reports 

Collecting Recidivism Data 

Published by the Urban Institute, Improving

Recidivism as a Performance Measure is a first 

step toward advancing knowledge on what works in 

sentencing and corrections policy. The report lays out 

a plan for better understanding reoffending indicators, 

comparing across groups and over time, and using 

the results to improve outcomes. According to the 

authors, recidivism would be a more meaningful 

performance measure if states employed a wide 

range of reoffending metrics. 

Some Bullying Declines With Age; Cyberbullying

Increases 

School Psychology Quarterly's recent report 

suggests cyberbulling worsens with age. Based on 

victimization and perpetration data obtained from 

1,180 fifth through eighth grade students, researchers 

found cyberbullying increases as students get older— 

particularly among girls. Girls are more likely to 

experience verbal and cyberbullying than boys, while 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nonthreatening way." 

When Norman attended CLPA's first session in 2012, 

he was pleased to learn about the police force's 

diverse work in communities. "We heard the positive 

news," he said. "So often when we hear police 

stories, we only hear the negative. Through the clergy 

academy, we are able to bring voice to the positive 

initiatives and bring them into the communities." 

Inviting Youth Participation 

Norman's church hosts clergy academy graduations 

and receptions. The church "bridges understanding of 

critical issues" by working closely with Memphis police 

and participating on a community advisory board. 

First Baptist also invites youth to participate in these 

events and contribute their insights and opinions 

about reducing youth and community violence. 

"By hosting the forums locally, we are able to provide 

a place for youth to have input on what they think 

problems are," Norman said. Young people have 

provided insights on factors contributing to violence, 

such as the need for a safe environment, positive 

family and home life dynamics, and health care. "As 

adults, we are removed and think we know the 

answers," said Norman, "but when we listen to 

children, we learn a lot more. We are able to build 

strategies linking to youth and their households, which 

gives [us] a better chance of solving problems." 

When asked what role clergy can play in reducing 

youth violence, especially after receiving CLPA 

training, Sgt. Beasley responded: "Be a stronger voice 

and advocate for programs and initiatives to address 

youth violence. Provide facilities and resources to 

accommodate athletic programs, afterschool 

programs, tutoring programs, mentoring programs, 

and youth forums, symposiums, and seminars." 

1Sue Badeau. 2012. "Philanthropic Engagement

With Community Youth Violence Prevention

Initiatives." Making the Link, Issue 2. 

UPDATE 

National Forum Welcomes Five Cities 

Five new cities have joined the National Forum on 

Youth Violence Prevention. With OJJDP's support, 

Long Beach, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Baltimore, Md., 

Cleveland, Ohio; and Seattle, Wash., will continue 

their work to prevent and reduce youth and gang 

violence. The new grantees were announced at the 

Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT 25th 

boys are likelier to be physically bullied. Although 

verbal and physical bullying decrease as students get 

older, the transition from elementary to middle school 

is often a time when the trend temporarily reverses. 

Improving Youth Justice Programs 

The Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice 

has published its 2013 Recommendations to the 

President, Congress, and OJJDP for the study, 

dissemination, and implementation of youth justice– 

focused programs. The committee explains the need 

for evidence-based programs and practices, youth 

voice, school engagement, juvenile justice reform, 

and the reduction of disproportionate minority contact. 

Reducing Recidivism and Improving Youth

Outcomes 

This paper urges juvenile justice systems to use 

validated risk assessments in identifying youth who 

are least and most likely to reoffend. Objective criteria 

should be used to minimize juvenile justice system 

interventions for youths with a low risk of reoffending, 

focusing the most intensive interventions on those 

likely to reoffend. 

News 

School Justice Partnership Program Receives

$1.9 Million 

The Office of Justice Programs has awarded a $1.9 

million grant to the National Council of Juvenile and 

Family Court Judges to participate in the School 

Justice Partnership Program, Keeping Kids in

School and Out of Court. OJJDP is working with the 

Department of Education and the Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration to 

implement the program, which proposes to reform 

schools' zero-tolerance discipline policies. 

Launch of Smart on Juvenile Justice Initiative 

On Sept. 26, 2014, Atty. Gen. Eric Holder announced 

the launch of OJJDP's Smart on Juvenile Justice 

Initiative in Washington, D.C. The effort supports 

three grant programs that promote juvenile justice 

system reform, provide training and technical 

assistance to juvenile justice prosecutors, and 

address racial and ethnic disparities. OJJDP and the 

Pew Charitable Trusts will assist Georgia, Hawaii, and 

Kentucky in their plans to cut recidivism, decrease 

correctional spending, improve public safety, and 

reduce youth contact with the justice system. 

Justice Department Launches New Violence

Reduction Network 

Camden, N.J.; Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich.; Oakland 

and Richmond, Va.; and Wilmington, Del., were the 

first cities to participate in a new, 3-day Violence 

Reduction Network (VRN) summit in Washington, 

D.C. Numerous agencies, including the Bureau of 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anniversary Reception Dinner on Oct. 1. 

Each city will receive $20,000 in planning grants. 

Once their plans are in place, they will be eligible for 

additional funding to coordinate resources, engage in 

community outreach, and increase involvement of key 

stakeholders. 

To encourage their violence prevention work and 

transition to self-sustainability, OJJDP also awarded 

the existing 10 Forum cities $2 million, including $1 

million from the Department of Education to fund the 

sites' school climate and safety improvement efforts. 

These cities have strived to curb violence through 

multidisciplinary approaches and evidence-based 

strategies, bringing youth, faith-based communities, 

and law enforcement together in a shared mission. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

& UPCOMING EVENTS 

Training Opportunities 

Gang Resistance Education and Training 

Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) 

Officer Training is a classroom certification course 

that teaches the fundamental aspects of G.R.E.A.T.— 

a school-based life-skills competency program led by 

police officers. G.R.E.A.T.'s goal is violence 

prevention, especially through resistance to gang 

activity. This sequential training, hosted by the 

Institute for Intergovernmental Research, presents an 

effective course of interaction with communities and 

schools and demonstrates how to implement 

elementary and middle school curricula for the school 

year and summer. Apply for upcoming trainings: Nov. 

3–12 in New Orleans, La.; Nov. 10–19 in Newark, 

N.J.; and Dec. 1–10 in Gulfport, Mo. 

Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex 

Trafficking 

In collaboration with OJJDP, the National Council of 

Juvenile and Family Court Judges will host the 

National Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex 

Trafficking, Nov. 3–5, in Reno, Nev. This training will 

provide juvenile and family court judges with tools to 

improve outcomes for domestic child sex trafficking 

victims. Attendees will learn how to better identify 

victims and children at risk of sex trafficking and 

explore prevention and intervention strategies 

addressing victims' needs. 

Webinar on Alcohol and Evidentiary Issues 

On Nov. 13 at 3 p.m., "A Judicial Conversation on 

Emerging Evidentiary Issues and Alcohol" will 

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug 

Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of 

Investigation; and Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services, convened Sept. 29–Oct. 1, 2014, in 

an effort to curb violent crime and promote public 

safety. The VRN aims to help localities access a 

broad spectrum of Justice Department resources and 

strengthen partnerships to end violent crime. 

NIJ Awards $63 Million for School Safety

Research 

The National Institute of Justice has awarded nearly

$63 million to school districts and research 

organizations through the Comprehensive School 

Safety Initiative (CSSI). Launched in early 2014, CSSI 

targets school safety improvements with the provision 

of research-backed best practices for programs and 

policies. The initiative funds 24 research projects 

under two different solicitations: "Investigator-Initiated 

Research" and "Developing Knowledge About What 

Works to Make Schools Safe." 

OJP Awards $62 Million to Support Youth

Mentoring 

The Office of Justice Programs has awarded more 

than $41 million to national organizations that will 

strengthen, expand, and implement youth mentoring

activities and development programs. An 

additional $21 million was awarded to nonprofit 

mentoring organizations. The funding will support 

quality mentoring services for youth in high-risk 

environments, children of incarcerated parents, and 

tribal youth. 

Advancing Juvenile Justice Reform 

OJJDP and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur 

Foundation are providing $2 million for innovative 

youth treatment and system reforms. The funding 

will support four organizations: the Center for 

Children's Law and Policy; the National Youth 

Screening and Assessment Project at the University 

of Massachusetts Medical School; the National 

Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice at 

Policy Research, Inc.; and the Robert F. Kennedy 

National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice. 

Together, OJJDP and the MacArthur Foundation will 

support training and technical assistance for states 

and local governments to meet the mental health 

needs of system-involved youth, reduce racial and 

ethnic disparities, and promote coordination and 

integration for youth involved in the child welfare and 

juvenile justice systems. 

Holder Announces School Safety Grants in

Baltimore 

Atty. Gen. Eric Holder visited Baltimore, Md., in 

October, announcing federal funding to study 

school safety. Baltimore County Public Schools and 

the University of Maryland will receive nearly $2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

discuss how different courts handle alcohol use as a 

risk factor for youth violence, focusing specifically on 

evidentiary issues related to underage drinking. 

Juvenile Interview and Interrogation Techniques 

First responders, new school resource officers, patrol 

officers, and new juvenile detectives are invited to 

attend the Introduction to Juvenile Interview and 

Interrogation Techniques, Nov. 20–21, in Columbus, 

Ohio. The course will help officers develop 

fundamental investigative skills, tactics, and 

procedures to effectively interview adolescent 

suspects and witnesses. 

National Mentoring Summit

"Expanding the Mentoring Effect" is a summit 

designed for mentoring practitioners, researchers, 

corporate partners, government and civic leaders, and 

youth-serving organizations. More than 60 workshops 

will share successful program models, research, 

technologies, and resources that have advanced 

mentoring's positive effect on young people. The 

summit will be held Jan. 28–30, 2015, in Washington, 

D.C. 

million to support research on students with emotional 

and behavioral health issues. Baltimore's study, 

"Promoting School Safety: A Comprehensive 

Emotional and Behavioral Health Model," will use a 

randomized sample of 44 schools to assess the 

effectiveness of a new crisis response and prevention 

system. The University of Maryland will examine a 

large-scale, multifaceted mental health–focused 

intervention. 

Congressman Fattah Announces Justice Grants 

Last month, Philadelphia, Pa., Congressman Chaka 

Fattah announced Department of Justice grants for 

Temple University and the Philadelphia Youth 

Violence Prevention Collaborative (PYVPC). Temple 

University was awarded $425,512 for a study that will 

gauge the effect of different police strategies on 

violence and property crime. The $222,200 PYVPC 

grant will sustain Philadelphia's work as part of the 

National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. Funds 

will support implementation of their strategic plan and 

provide technical assistance to the School District of 

Philadelphia. 

Justice Department Announces National TrustBuilding Effort 

When 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by 

Police Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., 

protests brought national attention to police– 

community relationships. The Justice Department's 

National Initiative for Building Community Trust

and Justice will invest in training, evidence-based 

strategies, policy development, and research to 

reduce distrust and hostility between law enforcement 

and the communities they serve. A 3-year grant has 

been awarded to John Jay College of Criminal 

Justice, Yale Law School, the Urban Institute, and the 

Center for Policing Equity at the University of 

California, Los Angeles, to train officers and 

communities on procedural fairness and incorporate 

effective strategies at five pilot sites. 

Monterey County Receives $17.8 Million to

Address Youth Development 

Monterey County, Calif., has received $17.8 million in 

federal grants for teacher preparation, youth

development, and violence prevention, including a 

comprehensive approach to address youth violence in 

Salinas. The news followed publication of a study 

showing Monterey County topped all of the state's 

counties in youth violence deaths. For 3 years, the 

Office of Education has been providing training on 

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, 

making it a natural recipient for this funding. The 

program's goals are to connect children, youth, and 

families to appropriate services and supports, and to 

improve conditions for learning and behavioral 

outcomes. 
 

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Newsletter Contact Us is prepared under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP) Cooperative Agreement No. 2012–MU–

Send questions or feedback about the newsletter to FX–K009 with Development Services Group, Inc.

NFYVP@dsgonline.com or subscribe. 

The views, opinions, and content of this newsletter do not 

necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of OJJDP.