OCTOBER 2013, VOLUME 3, NUMBER 9
 

IN THIS ISSUE 

An Interview with Rebecca Esparza 

Stevenson Inspires 2013 Summit 

Updates 

Announcements & Upcoming Events 

• Training Opportunities 

• Funding Opportunities 

News & Views 

• Reports 

• News 

• Other Resources 

MORE THAN A 

SECOND CHANCE 

AN INTERVIEW WITH
 REBECCA ESPARZA
 

Rebecca Ezparza, co-lead, Youth Voice Initiative 

Can you tell me what your school and home life 

was like growing up? 

FIVE MESSAGES: 

STEVENSON INSPIRES 

2013 SUMMIT 

"That's going to make you tired, tired, tired," Ms. Rosa Parks once 

said to Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the 

Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Her words were more than just 

recognition of the magnitude of the work Mr. Stevenson and EJI 

do—they were encouragement to continue the important effort of 

confronting class and racial biases in the criminal justice system, 

despite the cuts and bruises the fight would yield. Along with Ms. 

Parks' words, Johnnie Carr's rejoinder in that conversation, 

"That's why you've got to be brave, brave, brave," is a message to 

all National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention cities to continue 

an exhausting, challenging, and worthy struggle. 

At day's end on September 26, 2013, participants at the Forum's 

Third Annual Summit on Preventing Youth Violence returned to 

the main ballroom for the final plenary session. Waiting for them 

was an inspirational, motivating speaker who, in the words of 

Robert Listenbee, Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice 

and Delinquency Prevention, "has spent his career on the front 

line of social change." Mr. Stevenson took the stage to provide 

participants with five messages that are essential for bringing 

about change in youth violence prevention. 

Through personal anecdotes, critical insights into policy, and 

acknowledgment of the historical legacy and biases that have left 

youth at risk for violence throughout their lives, Mr. Stevenson 

offered encouragement and a way forward for Summit attendees. 

"It's extremely exciting to see the kind of work, to hear the kind of 

conversations, that we're hearing," he said, giving a nod to the 

success that Summit participants are achieving, through work 

they're doing with "energy and commitment and enthusiasm." 

Mr. Stevenson's five messages—identity matters, the need for 

proximity, changing the narrative, remaining hopeful, and the 

willingness to be uncomfortable—exemplify the actions and 

attitudes of Forum cities as they work to prevent youth violence 

and create healthier spaces for young people. With each 

message, he delivered powerful stories, describing people he had 

met, children he had represented, and encouragement he 

received along the way. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I witnessed a lot of violence because my parents 

were always fighting. I never understood what 

they were arguing about, but it was [constantly] 

the same thing. I remember taking my sisters 

[aside] because things would get really bad. They 

would cry to me but I didn't know what to do. My 

parents would try to apologize later, but [their 

fighting] was so consistent that as time passed, I 

kind of got used to it. 

The last incident was when my mom finally left 

us. They woke me up in the middle of the night 

because my dad wanted me to witness her 

leaving us for good. I have such a vivid memory 

of that [night] ... it's always in the back of my 

mind. I didn't understand why she would want to 

separate our family. 

From then on, I was just so hurt and kept a lot of 

feelings inside. My dad had to raise [us] girls on 

his own and there were always different people 

coming in and out of our lives. Throughout my 

childhood, my mother was in and out of jail, 

making promises that she would change and we 

would be happy again. My dad ended up 

marrying someone [else]. That's when my whole 

life changed completely. 

As I got older, I started to [tire] of the lies and tried 

to find an escape. At age 13, I began associating 

with gangs. I felt they understood what was 

happening in my life because they were going 

through the same thing or even worse. This led to 

committing my first crime and being on probation. 

My dad found out one day I had been cited for 

burglary and we started arguing at dinner. Things 

got out of hand and he started choking me in front 

of the entire family. I have never been so 

traumatized. That's when I thought everything 

was my fault. I started running away from home, 

and school went down the drain. I kept 

committing more crimes, which led to getting 

expelled from middle school. By the time I [made 

it] to high school, I got expelled for assault with 

battery on a rival gang member. I ended up at a 

continuation school and found I fit in because 

everyone was on probation, gang affiliated, or 

living in an unstable household. 

Things just got worse at home. I was incarcerated 

at 15 for assault and battery. A few months later, I 

[was] locked up a second time for carjacking, 

assault with a deadly weapon, and six robberies. I 

spent 8 months in a juvenile facility. I remember 

writing my family, telling them the same things my 

mom would tell me. I kind of understood where 

she was [coming] from but wanted to be nothing 

like her. I had to change but didn't know how. 

When I got out, I went back to the same 

environment and people. 

Who and what programs helped change your 

path? 

Speaking about identity, Mr. Stevenson fondly recalled his 

grandmother's words to him as a child, imploring him to love his 

mother, always do the right thing (even if it proved exceedingly 

difficult), and never drink. Laughingly, he related it was a talk all of 

his siblings and cousins heard, but marked it as a moment that 

helped define his identity. He spoke to the importance of 

empowering youth to find their identities and making the effort to 

relate to them. "There is power in identity," he said. "When we 

create relationships that are rooted in identity, that are meaningful 

to those people, we can change the world." 

With proximity, Mr. Stevenson gave the audience a heartbreaking 

lesson on the need to get close to problems in order to help solve 

them. Representing a child in custody awaiting trial as an adult 

after killing a man who had hurt his mother, Mr. Stevenson said 

the young boy would not speak until he put his arm around the 

child. The youth then collapsed into tears and told him of the 

horrors he had experienced in jail. "Who is responsible for this?" 

asked Mr. Stevenson. "We are. We've allowed our anger and our 

ignorance and our fear to do unbelievably traumatizing things to 

children. Proximity will teach us something about how we need to 

change." 

To effect true change, Mr. Stevenson emphasized the need to 

alter long-held narratives. Speaking against theories from three 

and four decades ago created without evidence, Mr. Stevenson 

acknowledged the need to change how people view youth and 

violence. Instead of the "superpredator" label that removed a 

child's humanity and victimization, he urged people to think of 

these children as supervictims. They are "children who have been 

failed by everybody." Erasing such a destructive narrative and 

drafting a new one that accounts for circumstances and 

compassion could truly advance the Forum's work. 

Believing we can do what hasn't been done before was a key 

message of Mr. Stevenson's presentation. By stretching 

imaginations and bursting boundaries that are held too firmly, 

hope can drive extraordinary change. Mr. Stevenson said we 

need to learn "how to stomp our feet, how to create a rhythm that 

vibrates, so people who have no voice now can be heard, and 

can be seen as beautiful and caring." 

His final message was the willingness to be uncomfortable. "We 

set our brains for that—because if we don't, we get turned 

around." In disrupting decades of violence, intervening in 

communities, and confronting families, Summit participants and 

their peers place themselves in uncomfortable situations without 

fail. But by acknowledging and embracing that discomfort, they 

are displaying the strength to help improve situations. 

Mr. Stevenson's presentation ended in thunderous applause, 

capping off a day that established important themes, issued 

challenges, and provided support as Forum cities continue their 

work in addressing youth violence. Theron Pride, Senior Advisor 

at the Office of Justice Programs, closed the day with a short but 

perfect summation: "Enough said." 

NEWS 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) changed my life 

completely. I wouldn't be where I am today if it 

weren't for [their] positive support. They matched 

me with a mentor who truly cared about me and 

proved it by visiting every week while I was 

incarcerated. She never judged me and was 

always eager to help. They also provided a law 

education program while I was [in juvenile 

detention], which taught me my rights and the 

consequences of my actions. Their Leadership 

program gave me the opportunity to give back to 

my community and have fun sober with youth 

who were just like me. They brought out the real 

me and [turned] me into a Peer Leader, where I 

found my true happiness. [While] volunteering, 

I've been able to mentor youth who are going 

through the same thing I did as a kid—and 

sometimes still do. Many of them look up to me 

and ask for advice. FLY takes us on fun [trips] to 

San Francisco, zip-lining in Santa Cruz, and deep 

sea fishing at Half Moon Bay. We also [participate 

in] many community service events, such as 

feeding the homeless, speaking to middle school 

kids, and water restoration projects. 

What is the Youth Voice Initiative? 

The Youth Voice Initiative's purpose is to ensure 

dialogue between youth and officials. It started 

with the National Forum on Youth Violence 

Prevention because they felt they needed a youth 

perspective on this topic. Our goal is to create a 

youth task force and utilize media to [build] 

awareness. We are working on our first live talk 

show with multimedia partners at CreaTV. Youth 

will [handle] all aspects, from hosting to editing, 

running the cameras and lights, and producing 

the show. Our job is to create six talk shows and 

three public service announcements. 

What other youth-focused programs are you 

involved in? 

Besides FLY's Leadership and Speech 

Committee programs, I'm also part of the 

Opportunity Youth Partnership Leadership 

Council. 

At the Summit in September, you said "I 

witnessed acts of violence growing up ... I 

participated in acts of violence. I didn't know how 

to cope in an unstable environment." What more 

do you think after-school programs and young 

people who have lived through similar situations 

can do to prevent this from happening? 

I would say offering leadership training programs 

where youth have the opportunity to find their 

skills, [be matched] with a mentor, and [get 

informed] about the law. Also, understanding why 

youth do what they do, but giving them a second 

chance to change. Inform them there are so many 

& VIEWS 

Reports 

National Academies Release Commercial Sexual Exploitation

and Trafficking Report 

Institute of Medicine, 2013 

Efforts to prevent, identify, and respond to commercial sexual 

exploitation and sex trafficking are largely undersupported, 

inefficient, uncoordinated, and unevaluated. "Confronting

Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of

Minors in the United States" examines approaches to address 

commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, identifying 

causes and consequences for victims and offenders. 

Recommendations to prevent, identify, and respond to these 

crimes are highlighted. 

National Academies Releases Report on Child Abuse and 

Neglect 

National Academies, 2013 

Commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services' 

Administration for Children, Youth and Families, "New Directions 

in Child Abuse and Neglect Research" looks at studies on the 

extent, causes, and consequences of child abuse and neglect, as 

well as the effectiveness of intervention programs. The report 

provides recommendations for establishing a coordinated national 

infrastructure to support future research on child abuse and 

neglect. 

OJJDP Bulletin Examines Intersection Between Delinquency 

and Victimization 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2013 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

released "Children's Exposure to Violence and the

Intersection Between Delinquency and Victimization," the fifth 

publication in a series on the National Survey of Children's 

Exposure to Violence, which gathered data on incidence and 

prevalence of children's exposure to violence across all ages, 

settings, and time frames. Findings on the link between 

delinquency and victimization among 10- to 17-year-olds in the 

study have implications for adolescent development and 

intervention practitioners. 

News 

OJJDP Awards $8 Million in Grants to Reduce Youth Violence 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

announced more than $8 million in Community-Based Violence 

Prevention program awards to six U.S. sites. Grants will support 

the sites as they replicate proven programs to reduce gun and 

gang violence. Grant recipients include Camden, New Jersey; 

East Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Newport 

News, Virginia; Syracuse, New York; and the Maryland 

Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. 

$1.2 Million in DOJ Grants Support Philadelphia Youth 

Philadelphia received two grants totaling more than $1.2 million 

from the Department of Justice to support programs and services 

that benefit city youth. As part of the National Forum on Youth 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

opportunities and resources out there—that they 

can be someone, and lead them to it. Having 

consistent support is the best one can do. Never 

give up on a youth. [He/she] might need more 

than just a second chance. 

Was the Summit helpful for you in other ways? 

What did you learn or take away from the 2-day 

meeting? Will you keep in touch with those you 

met for the first time? 

[The Summit] was helpful because it showed me 

there are many organizations that truly care about 

the at-risk/juvenile population. [I also saw] I'm not 

the only one who struggles. There are many 

youth around the country who go through the 

same thing or worse than [I did] growing up, but 

we are all able to overcome our obstacles. I 

enjoyed the lunch they had for the youth because 

I got to know their stories on a more personal 

level and network with other organizations. I will 

definitely keep in touch with each person I 

encountered. 

What would you change about the Summit? What 

would you like to see at next year's meeting? 

I would honestly like to see more youth and have 

[them] share their stories. I felt I needed to share 

so much more, but there wasn't enough time. I 

wanted everybody to really understand where I 

came from, why I did the things I did, and how 

and why I changed. 

What would you tell another 18-year-old female 

who was attempting to move ahead in life but 

dealing with past involvement in crime, violence, 

or drugs? 

Not to let what people say or do faze you. 

Continuing to worry about yourself and everyone 

who tries to bring you down or lead you in the 

wrong direction is irrelevant. Changing takes time, 

and it's not going to happen in a day—it might 

take a few months [and even] years. I encounter 

my past even today. Just because I've changed, 

not everyone around me has. I still have to watch 

my surroundings and try to avoid conflict as much 

as possible. Honestly, working in the community 

gains credibility. I know if I ever come into a 

situation on the streets, I will be okay because of 

all the support I have. 

Violence Prevention, the City of Philadelphia received $235,073 to 

support technical assistance for Positive Behavioral Intervention 

Supports in schools with high suspension and violent incident 

rates. The Philadelphia Children's Alliance will receive $1,059,910 

to enhance Children's Advocacy Centers and Multidisciplinary 

Abuse Teams in nine Northeast states. 

$20.5 Million Transformation of Dorchester's Quincy Corridor 

A substantial grant will launch a massive revitalization of 

Dorchester's Quincy Corridor in Boston. The city was one of 

five in the United States to receive Implementation Grants 

awarded under the Housing and Urban Development's Choice 

Neighborhoods Initiative. Also awarded to Chicago, New Orleans, 

San Francisco, and Seattle, funding will be used to transform 

distressed neighborhoods into communities with affordable 

housing, safe streets, and access to quality educational 

opportunities. 

OJJDP Administrator Discusses Juvenile Justice Reform 

Efforts in NPR Interview 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) 

Administrator Robert L. Listenbee discussed OJJDP's priorities 

with National Public Radio, emphasizing the need to support 

research and programs that promote youth safety and well-being. 

Mr. Listenbee spoke about the adoption of a trauma-informed 

approach for treating children exposed to violence and a 

developmental approach to juvenile justice. 

Hartnell College Student Wants to Give Salinas Youth a Voice

in Fighting Violence 

For 4 years, 21-year-old Hartnell College student Fernanda 

Ocana has worked to change Salinas' history of street violence. "I 

love my community," she said to The Herald News, and spoke 

about how she could improve it. Ms. Ocana attended the Third 

Annual Summit on Preventing Youth Violence in September, 

representing Salinas on a panel that addressed how young 

people's community and city involvement can improve widespread 

violence. 

Other Resources 

Youth Speak Out: Approaching Difficult Subjects Through

Creativity 

In a National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth podcast, 

Tiara Bennett talks about the Choices We Make, a film she wrote 

about teen pregnancy, and how creative projects in general can 

help young people have difficult conversations. 

Bullying Prevention Training Center 

These research-based resources were created to help lead 

bullying prevention efforts in local communities. 

U.S. Department of Education Releases Fact Sheet on Teen 

Dating Violence

Teen Dating Violence—A Fact Sheet for Schools outlines the 

extent of the problem, with nationwide statistics on dating violence 

and sexual assault. There are many steps students and schools 

can take to reduce such violence, including educating their 

community about prevention and identification; developing locally 

tailored, appropriate responses to address teen dating violence; 

and providing effective support to traumatized youth. 

Public Health and Public Safety Collaborations Are Key to 

UPDATES
 

The Third Annual Summit on Preventing Youth 

Violence centered on promoting and enhancing 

youth violence prevention strategies, 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

incorporating knowledge about trauma exposure,
 

and highlighting tools and resources to sustain
 

the Forum's work. All materials from the Summit
 

are now available, including the agenda, videos,
 

PowerPoint presentations, and speaker

biographies.
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

& UPCOMING EVENTS 

Training Opportunities 

National Mentoring Summit 

The 2014 National Mentoring Summit will be 

held January 30–31, 2014, in Arlington, Virginia. 

Hosted by MENTOR: The National Mentoring 

Partnership, in collaboration with the Office of 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

Corporation for National and Community Service, 

Harvard School of Public Health, and United Way 

Worldwide, this event will focus on evidencebased mentoring practices that support academic 

achievement and positive social behavior. 

Workshops will highlight innovative program 

models, emerging research, and professional 

development. 

Funding Opportunities 

Grant Announcement 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
 

Prevention has awarded $400,000 to the
 

American Institutes for Research and National
 

Crittenton Foundation in support of the National
 

Girls Institute (NGI). NGI works to reduce the
 

number of girls in the juvenile justice system and
 

improve treatment of girls in detention, with
 

standards of care, access to resources, and
 

training and technical assistance for
 

professionals.
 

Contact Us 

Send questions or feedback about the newsletter to 

NFYVP@dsgonline.com or subscribe. 

Preventing Youth Gang Membership 

Published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 

National Institute of Justice, Changing Course: Preventing 

Gang Membership aims to help communities end the detrimental 

effects of gangs on kids, families, neighborhoods, and society. To 

achieve a significant and lasting reduction in youth gang activity, 

it's crucial to prevent young people from joining gangs in the first 

place. According to the book, there are at least four reasons to 

focus on principles of prevention: 

1. Much of what we know about preventing gang membership 

is drawn from research in other prevention fields, such as 

juvenile delinquency and violence prevention. 

2. Joining a gang is a complex process that involves both 

individual volition and social influences; therefore, it is 

difficult to imagine that a single "recipe" for preventing gang 

membership would be effective for all at-risk youth across 

the array of social contexts. 

3. Our focus on prevention principles better equips us to 

confront specific public health and public safety issues 

linked to gang membership: interpersonal violence, truancy 

and school dropout, alcohol and substance abuse, and a 

host of related crime and health challenges. 

4. By emphasizing principles, we seek to move the public 

discourse beyond an overly simplistic notion of gangs and 

gang problems—in an effort to cultivate an understanding 

of the complex array of social patterns and individual 

behaviors that are encountered under the rubric of "gangs." 

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention 

Newsletter is prepared under Office of Juvenile 

Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) 

Cooperative Agreement No. 2012–MU–FX–K009 

with Development Services Group, Inc. 

The views, opinions, and content of this newsletter 

are those of the authors, and do not necessarily 

reflect the views, opinions, or policies of OJJDP.