Community Crime Prevention and Juvenile Justice Initiatives

Public Safety - Human Services Initiative

In 2006, the City of Seattle launched the Public Safety – Human Services Initiative to improve public safety in Seattle’s Central, Rainier Valley, and Downtown neighborhoods by redirecting 175 individuals from street crime through outreach, case management, and support services. The Initiative includes Get Off The Streets (GOTS), Communities Uniting Rainier Beach (CURB), and Court Specialized Treatment and Access to Recovery Services (Co-STARS). Projects are partnership-based and include street outreach and case management and low-barrier access to support services such as treatment, housing, food, transportation assistance, and employment preparation.

Coordinated by the Seattle Neighborhood Group, GOTS provides services to adults with a history of criminal justice involvement who are homeless, mentally ill and/or chemically dependent and congregate in Seattle’s central area.  CURB is implemented by the People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) and uses a peer outreach model to engage young adults who are involved in low-level criminal activity and who gather together in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood or in other hot spots in the Rainier Valley.  The King County Mental Health Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division (MHCADSD) subcontracts with Sound Mental Health (SMH) for Co-STARS.  Co-STARS is a forensic mental health and chemical dependency treatment program with a housing component for homeless individuals who need treatment and have had three or more jail bookings within 12 months. The overall goal of these projects is that individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement and underlying conditions such as homelessness, mental illness and/or chemical dependency, will live crime-free and become contributing community members.

The Public Safety – Human Services Initiative is funded with City of Seattle General Funds. The 2013 allocation is $983,688.

The Drug Market Initiative (DMI) supports community efforts to close open air drug markets and reduce associated crime.  This strategy targets non-violent, low-level drug sellers who are “called-in” and then confronted with their criminal behavior and given a chance to avoid prosecution by ceasing their drug dealing activity.  Known as a candidate call-in, this staged intervention includes police, prosecutors, public defenders, family members and community leaders.  Candidates are offered community support and community-based services to assist them in redirecting their lives from selling drugs.  Those who refuse to stop drug dealing and other criminal activity are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and face lengthy prison sentences.  The Seattle Neighborhood Group coordinates the DMI in collaboration with its many partners. The 2013 allocation is $26,520.

2013 Funded Agencies and Programs

• Seattle Neighborhood Group – Get Off The Streets (GOTS)
• People of Color Against AIDS Network - Communities Uniting Rainier Beach (CURB)
• Sound Mental Health - Court Specialized Treatment and Access to Recovery Services (Co-STARS)
• Seattle Neighborhood Group– Drug Market Initiative (DMI) 

Information

For more information about this program, contact the Seattle Human Services Department at 206-386-1017 or youthservices@seattle.gov.

For information about our partners and related programs, contact the agencies listed above or the 211 Community Information Line by dialing 211 or 1-800-621-4636.

Seattle Human Services Department
Street address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5800, Seattle, WA 98104
Mailing address: PO Box 34215, Seattle, WA 98124-4215

Phone: 206-386-1001
Fax: 206-233-5119
TTY/TTD: 206-233-2778

Accommodations for people with disabilities provided upon request.