With a population of just under 130,000, New Haven, CT saw a spike in murders during 2011. Thirty-four people were killed in the city, and many more people were shot, but survived. One pocket of the city that was particularly hard hit by the violence decided to take matters into their own hands in an attempt to stop gun violence.
On February 13 members of the West River and Dwight neighborhoods called a press conference to announce a new plan with the goals of stopping gun violence, reducing recidivism (by keeping children from ever going to prison later in life), and teaching children early-on that shooting someone is not the way to settle a dispute. Reentry Central gathered with other representatives of the media to learn more about this new approach to tackling a problem that is plaguing cities across America.
The plan to help end violence and incarceration begins with reaching out to every neighborhood child between the ages of three and twelve. Members of the West River Services Corporation, the Greater Dwight Community Management Team, and the Masid Al-Islam Mosque’s Youth Empowerment Squad plan to knock on every door in the targeted area to identify neighborhood children and assess their needs. Once the children are identified they, and their families, will be plugged into services and resources that can benefit them.
The anti-violence component of the new plan will teach children why guns should not be a part of their lives and hopes that educating children about the damage gun violence does to their neighborhood will dissuade them from possessing guns when they get older. Teaching mediation and conflict resolution skills at an early age will also help children cope more intelligently, and less violently, in a stressful situation.
Acting on the concerns of residents, Tyisha Walker,West River Alderwoman, met with other community members to devise a strategy aimed at protecting and straightening their neighborhood. With so many young people ending up in prison, the group developed a plan dubbed "No Entry.
The idea of “No Entry” was well received by the assembled crowd of politicians, community activists and concerned citizens. While successful reentry is a key strategy in reducing recidivism and increasing public safety, there is a better alternative, claims Jerry Poole, a long-time community activist. Reaching out to young people in the neighborhood and offering support and guidance can help them grow into responsible teenagers and adults. The whole idea, according to Stacy Spell, president of the West River Neighborhood Services Corporation, is to prevent children from getting involved in the criminal justice system in the first place. Much talk has been generated by the so-called school-to-prison pipeline. The new “Shun the Gun” and “No Entry” programs aim to disassemble and dry up that pipeline.
The community organizers acknowledge that reaching their goals will not happen overnight, but they take the lives of their neighbors seriously. Committed to building a better and stronger community, the West River-Dwight group has embarked on what may be a groundbreaking effort that keeps neighborhoods safe and prevents young residents from becoming criminals.
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