Community Safety
Despite much progress in reducing racial discrepencies in law enforcement, disparities remain. Black/African American youth under 18 comprise up to 40 percent of all referrals to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. A major focus of the Mayor's Youth Opportunity Initiative is ensuring Seattle youth are safe and free of negative involvement in the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on reducing disparities in discipline and providing safe, positive experiences for all youth.
2017 Summer of Opportunity Priorities
- Use the City's Youth Opportunity Fund to support 13 agencies reaching at least 130 youth
- Expand the fund to offer mini grants to agencies for positive youth development activities
- Studies show that positive youth development can reduce risky behavior
Key Programs
Police Athletic League (PAL)
Seattle Police Activities League (SeaPAL) is a proactive, prevention-oriented strategy which relies on the cooperation, coordination and building of relationships between youth, police and community through recreation and cultural enrichment. SeaPAL focuses on providing youth 5-18 years of age the opportunity to be a part of a variety of programming activities with police officers serving as coaches, mentors and role models.
Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth!
Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth!, is a community-led, non-arrest approach to reducing violence that affects youth in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle. This initiative works to engage the Rainier Beach community, Seattle Police, and other government and community-based partners in identifying and implementing non-arrest approaches to reducing youth victimization and offending at long-term youth crime "hotspots".
Family Intervention and Restorative Services (FIRS)
FIRS is a two-part intervention strategy dealing with youth domestic violence. Through this program and center sponsored by King County, youth and families are enrolled in services specifically tailored to their needs rapidly.
Seattle LINC
LINC, a program of the Center for Children & Youth Justice, intervenes with at-risk young people and reengages them in secondary education, connecting them to counselling and treatment services, employment opportunities, and other services they need to succeed. The multidisciplinary team model helps youth and young adults set and reach their educational, employment, and pro-social goals.