An outgrowth of that philosophy has been Youth-Oriented Policing. The Department has established a variety of positive interactions with young people, in an effort to break down the wall that has led young people in New Haven to regard police antagonistically. The goal of Youth-Oriented Policing is to develop relationships between police and children, to provide young people with positive models for identification and a benign sense of authority, so children are at less risk of becoming involved in antisocial activities. On the most basic measure of success, the City has had great news. In a City with 19,500 students and a poverty rate near 24 percent, for the past two years there has not been a single serious act of violence in New Haven s schools.
Students also feel safer in school.
A survey conducted biannually by the Yale Child Study Center, known as the Social and Health Assessment survey, has shown that more students say they feel safe at school, in their neighborhoods, on the way to school, at after school activities and in school restrooms. Students also report a better perception of race relations, and fewer students report that they have become sexually active. Briefly describe the structure of your program. It is built into the fabric of the daily activities of the police department, where officers are expected to treat young people with respect and dignity. In the schools, the police collaborate with school administrators, mental health professionals, juvenile probation officers and security officers to build positive relationships with young people, remove their anonymity and counsel students against drug use and gang involvement.