There is no doubt that even our generally pleasant South Valley communities are impacted by the presence of juvenile gangs. Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Hollister all suffer from varying degrees of violence, intimidation and graffiti. Perhaps a strategy being used in a neighboring city could help alleviate this situation here.
Salinas, with a population of 150,000, is the county seat of Monterey County. It has had extraordinary levels of youth violence over the past few years, with an estimated 3,000 gang members belonging to 16 youth and two prison gangs; gang violence is responsible for 90 percent of recorded homicides.
This has impacted nearly every resident because:
• Nearly every resident lives near or with a gang member
• Businesses have to combat negative perceptions of the community held by potential customers
• Schools have lower academic achievement
• Health care costs are on the rise.
Recently the Rev. Lawrence Robles wrote an article describing an innovative crime prevention program implemented in Salinas. Robles is Rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Salinas; previously, he served as a deacon at Gilroy’s St. Stephen’s Church before ordination to the priesthood and has also run an Episcopal outreach ministry in San Jose’s inner city.
The program is known as Salinas Night Walks; it is based on a project developed in Boston, Mass., and replicated in Sacramento. Its key element is “a consistent, real and physical presence in communities suffering from poverty, economic stress, substance abuse and frequent violence.”
Last summer, the City’s Division of Community Safety and Police Chief Kelly McMillin recruited volunteers from local churches. These community members then received training from the Rev. Jeffrey Brown, who has been involved in the “Boston Miracle” since the mid-1990s, and Pastor Eddie Caraveo, a leader of the Sacramento project. They learned how to interact and offer resources to residents they encounter and also how to defuse dangerous situations.
Teams of 10 to 20 walkers, representing a dozen local congregations, have begun walking through troubled neighborhoods that have been selected by the Salinas Police Department because of high crime statistics. Generally, they walk two-hour shifts that can continue to midnight or even later. Greeting residents and answering questions, their goal is “conversation, not conversion,” so there are no overt religious messages.
According to Robles, “We walk the streets promoting peace and safety by being present with community residents. We are authorized to offer a brochure in English and Spanish that outlines services provided by the City that can be accessed by calling 2-1-1.”
Salinas resident Dick Renard is a leader of one of the teams. He says, “The walkers have had no unpleasant experiences,” and he has noticed a change in atmosphere. More residents now spend time outside during the evening: children playing, adults washing cars, gardening or just visiting together.
More information about Salinas Night Walks is available by calling (831) 758-7945.
Chuck Flagg is a retired teacher with a passion for religion. Reach him at
cf****@sv**********.com
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