January 6, 2012 – Mayor Jim Suttle’s office submitted grant applications today for 16 distinct juvenile programs aimed at reducing gang activity, youth violence, and truancy in Omaha. Grant proposals were submitted to the Nebraska Crime Commission Juvenile Services Grant Program which offers funding for local governments and community based organizations to provide targeted prevention and intervention programs for youth that are currently involved or at-risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system.
The City of Omaha proposed over $1.3 million of vital youth prevention and intervention services in partnership with area non-profit organizations. If awarded, each proposed program will provide necessary funding for partner non-profit organizations to provide additional services and programs for area at-risk youth. Among the proposed programs included are; truancy prevention services that work one-on-one with students that are experiencing high absenteeism, and street-based gang outreach specialists who directly intervene with and provide employment and educational resources to gang members and families to stop violence from escalating.
These programs are in line with the Omaha Police Departments statistics showing areas of decline in youth violence correlating to the implementation of these types of programs. “Programs that keep our young people in school, at work and out of gangs are crucial to the reduction of violence in our community,” said Mayor Suttle. “We need to continue exploring every resource available to provide alternatives to violence in our community.”
Grant application results should be available this spring, and successful applications will be able to start implementing their programs in July.
