Community and youth input are important keys to solving youth violence, according to a Pitt seminar.

“A lot of the time, the youth’s voice gets lost,” said Valerie Dixon, the restorative justice coordinator for the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime. “We started having young people come in and they all gave their input on what needs to be done to reduce violent crime.”

VALERIE DIXON

Race and youth violence was the topic of the third summer institute presented by the University of Pittsburgh’s Center on Race and Social Problems.

The daylong seminar on July 24 featured a series of speakers as well as short presentations, a panel discussion and group breakout sessions. The primary focus for all participants was how to solve the problem of youth violence in Pittsburgh.

“It’s our hope that every segment of society buy into the concept that something needs to be done,” Dixon said. “It can be contained if we’re all doing our part.”

Dixon has been a key contributor to a document created by the Coalition Against Violence that outlines strategies for ending violence. The document, discussed at the institute, tackles many segments of society including business, education and the media.

Dixon received input from several sources, but found it especially important to incorporate ideas from youths in the communities most affected by violence.

Dixon hopes people who read the document will be inspired to implement change in their community. The document can aid individuals who wish to get involved in the fight against violence or groups who are already working for change.

“This is not just another document to put out there,” Dixon said. “Our job is to continue generating strategies and committing people.”

The document can be viewed online at the Black Political Empowerment website, www.b-pep.net.

Another initiative for fighting violence that was discussed was Pittsburgh’s Youth Intervention Project. Director Errika Jones outlined how this Pittsburgh Public Schools program uses the methods of prevention, intervention and suppression.

The intervention method, wherein youth gang members are targeted, also serves as a learning experience as case workers are able to look into a child’s history to see what factors led them to join a gang.

Preventative measures were a key focus of the program as participants discussed risk factors involving drugs, family and education.

“We’re living in the house that crack built,” said David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control in New York. “Crack created conditions that we are still dealing with.”

Olivia Jones, executive director of the YMCA Homewood-Brushton Branch, expressed the need for students to be able to connect careers with school in order to keep a focus on education. Jones also delved into the paranoia many children in violent neighborhoods experience.

“It is a war zone in our communities only because kids don’t know what’s coming at them,” Jones said.

The institute concluded with group leaders from four different breakout sessions presenting some final thoughts regarding how to combat youth violence.

 “While there must be collaboration and engagement with civic leaders, there must also be collaboration and engagement with community leaders,” said James Riggins of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. “The resources we need are already in our communities.”

In correlation with the idea of collaboration, every group agreed that law enforcement officials must gain trust in the community in order to effectively work with citizens.

The final summer institute is set for Aug. 19 and will address the topic of race and kinship care. For information on previous institutes, visit www.crsp.pitt.edu.