Pubdate: Sun, 15 Mar 1998
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Author: Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel staff
Contact:  http://www.jsonline.com/
Fax: (414) 224-8280

TASK FORCE ON CRIME TO APPROVE CRACKDOWN ON GANGS

Milwaukee's Youth Crime and Violence Task Force on Monday will recommend
approval of a three-year, $21 million effort to crack down on violent gangs
and drug traffickers, establish after-school safe havens and expand
neighborhood anti-crime activities.

The recommendations are part of a report compiled by the task force, which
includes representatives from government, business, law enforcement and
community and school agencies and has been meeting since January. The
report is to be presented at a task force meeting Monday.

"This proposal represents a communitywide commitment to stop crime where it
happens, and to keep our kids safe and out of trouble by keeping them off
the streets and involved in educational activities," Sen. Herb Kohl
(D-Wis.), who spearheaded the task force, said in a written statement.

The task force recommendations are based on programs that already have
succeeded in other cities, such as Boston, the report says.

Murders in Boston have been reduced from 150 to 70 a year, with only one
juvenile gunshot homicide in the past 2 1/2 years, under a similar,
coordinated community approach. In Milwaukee, neighborhoods in the Weed &
Seed program experienced a 47% reduction in violent felonies.

The key to the successful programs was that they provided a "comprehensive,
proactive, collaborative effort" to reduce violent crime and violence and
create a more positive environment for children and teens, the report says.
"The issue is not whether these strategies work. The issue is whether we as
a community have the desire and will to commit the resources necessary to
make this happen."

The task force proposal would cost at least $7 million a year for three
years and would include:

Law enforcement initiatives: The report estimates an annual cost of $2.5
million. Milwaukee County already has received a $3 million federal High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area grant, which is renewable for two
additional years. The grant, which recognizes that this is a principal
center of drug distribution in Wisconsin, will provide the resources for a
coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to target
major drug dealers and violent gangs.

Safe havens: Because national studies have shown that youths are most
likely to get into trouble and commit crimes between 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.,
the report calls for a network of 50 safe havens to be established by
September, at an estimated cost of $3.2 million a year.

The safe havens would provide after-school and weekend educational, social
and recreational activities for several thousand youths, in an effort to
reduce crime, help students with school performance and seek to reduce the
dropout rate. These havens would operate through a collaborative effort of
Milwaukee Public Schools, the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and other
neighborhood agencies that serve youth.

Anti-crime efforts: An estimated $1.3 million a year would be needed to
establish and run an anti-crime network that would help neighborhoods
organize and work closely with law enforcement and the safe havens to fight
crime and promote safety. Milwaukee's Social Development Commission, which
would undertake the anti-crime activities, already has received a $650,000
grant from the state, which would be used to hire 12 neighborhood
organizers.

The report also recommends promoting the healthy development of at-risk
youth and families through substance-abuse prevention and treatment, gang
diversion, violence prevention and family violence prevention programs.

"Twenty-one million dollars over three years may sound like a lot of money,
but the cost of not implementing these recommendations will be far, far
greater," U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Schneider said in a written statement.

It's hoped that some of the needed funds will come from state and federal
sources. For example, Gov. Tommy Thompson has included $2.5 million for
safe havens in his proposed budget, Schneider said.

President Clinton also has called for funding for after-school programs.

But the report also makes it clear that "without significant private sector
support these recommendations simply cannot be implemented."

Robert H. Milbourne, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, said the
work of the task force and its recommendations were exciting and showed a
comprehensive attack on the problem of violence.

"The business community will play a major role in the implementation of
these recommendations," he said in a written statement.

In addition to Kohl, other members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation
expressed support for the recommendations.

"I would rather have kids shooting basketballs than shooting each other, or
pushing computer keys, rather than drugs," said Rep. Tom Barrett
(D-Milwaukee).