Reducing Youth Violence Town Hall meeting

Source: County of Santa Barbara

First 5 Santa Barbara County and Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley are hosting a community town hall and panel discussion focused on reducing youth violence by supporting children and families in the early years of life. Experts in early childhood development and law enforcement will discuss strategies to support families and children prenatal through age five, and how the early years are so critical to every child’s success in their later education and life. There is no cost to attend but an RSVP is appreciated.

To RSVP and for the Town Hall flier in Spanish, please call (805) 560-1039 or send e-mail ktorres@first5sbc.org. A complimentary casual dinner will be offered, as well as child care and Spanish language interpretation services.

Between late 2014 and the end of 2016 the City of Santa Maria experienced a wave of youth violence that shook the community. In this city of roughly 100,000 people the number of murders rose from an average of three per year to 13 in 2015 and nine in 2016. Most of these homicides were gang related, and many of them were youth-on-youth killings.

Since then, the city’s mayor formed a task force on youth violence and much community discussion and law enforcement focus has followed. Most, if not all, of the prevention strategies discussed have been focused on investing to support children in the pre-teen and teenage years. The key message we want to promote with this event is that the early years need to be included in any viable, long-term prevention strategy.

5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, August 21
Santa Maria Boys and Girls Club
901 N. Railroad Ave., Santa Maria

Panelists:

Camille Maben, Executive Director, First 5 California
Joyce Dudley, District Attorney, Santa Barbara County
Stephen Walker, Director of Governmental Affairs, California Correctional Officers Association & California Child Abuse Prevention Council member
Moira Kenney, Executive Director, First 5 Association of California
Beverly Taylor, Interim Chief Probation Officer, Santa Barbara County
Ben Romo, Executive Director, First 5 Santa Barbara County