I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 102
To provide grants to grassroots organizations in certain cities to develop
youth intervention models.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 6, 1999
Mr. CONYERS (for himself and Mr. HYDE) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide grants to grassroots organizations in certain cities
to develop youth intervention models.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Youth Crime
Prevention Demonstration Act’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To establish a demonstration project that
establishes violence-free zones that would involve
successful youth intervention models in partnership
with law enforcement, local housing authorities, pri-
vate foundations, and other public and private part-
ners.
(2) To document best practices based on suc-
cessful grassroots interventions in cities, including
Washington, District of Columbia; Boston, Massa-
chusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and other cities to
develop methodologies for widespread replication.
(3) To increase the efforts of the Department
of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, and other agencies in supporting effec-
tive neighborhood mediating approaches.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL YOUTH CRIME PRE-
VENTION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
The Attorney General shall, subject to appropria-
tions, award a grant to the National Center for Neighbor-
hood Enterprise (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘National
Center’’) to enable the National Center to award grants
to grassroots entities in the following 8 cities:
(1) Washington, District of Columbia.
(2) Detroit, Michigan.
(3) Hartford, Connecticut.
(4) Indianapolis, Indiana.
(5) Chicago (and surrounding metropolitan
area), Illinois.
(6) San Antonio, Texas.
(7) Dallas, Texas.
(8) Los Angeles, California.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a grant
under this Act, a grassroots entity referred to in section
3 shall submit an application to the National Center to
fund intervention models that establish violence-free
zones.
(b) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In awarding grants
under this Act, the National Center shall consider—
(1) the track record of a grassroots entity and
key participating individuals in youth group medi-
ation and crime prevention;
(2) the engagement and participation of a
grassroots entity with other local organizations; and
(3) the ability of a grassroots entity to enter
into partnerships with local housing authorities, law
enforcement agencies, and other public entities.
SEC. 5. USES OF FUNDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Funds received under this Act
may be used for youth mediation, youth mentoring, life
skills training, job creation and entrepreneurship, organi-
zational development and training, development of long-
term intervention plans, collaboration with law enforce-
ment, comprehensive support services and local agency
partnerships, and activities to further community objec-
tives in reducing youth crime and violence.
(b) GUIDELINES.—The National Center will identify
local lead grassroots entities in each designated city which
include the Alliance of Concerned Men of Washington in
the District of Columbia; the Hartford Youth Peace Initia-
tive in Hartford, Connecticut; the Family Help-Line in
Los Angeles, California; the Victory Fellowship in San An-
tonio, Texas; and similar grassroots entities in other des-
ignated cities.
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The National Center,
in cooperation with the Attorney General, shall also pro-
vide technical assistance for startup projects in other cit-
ies.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
The National Center shall submit a report to the At-
torney General evaluating the effectiveness of grassroots
agencies and other public entities involved in the dem-
onstration project.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘grassroots entity’’ means a not-
for-profit 
community 
organization 
with 
dem-
onstrated effectiveness in mediating and addressing
youth violence by empowering at-risk youth to be-
come agents of peace and community restoration;
and
(2) the term ‘‘National Center for Neighbor-
hood Enterprise’’ is a not-for-profit organization in-
corporated in the District of Columbia.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act—
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;
(2) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
(3) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
(4) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; and
(5) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
(b) RESERVATION.—The National Center for Neigh-
borhood Enterprise may use not more than 20 percent of
the amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) in
any fiscal year for administrative costs, technical assist-
ance and training, comprehensive support services, and
evaluation of participating grassroots organizations.
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