Too Much Too Soon

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E D I T E D B Y D O R O N TA U S S I G

thebellcurve CP’s Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

John S. Carter, who defrauded the Independence Seaport Museum of $1.5 million, appeals his 15-year plea bargain sentence, saying the penalty is too harsh. “It turns out jail is extremely unpleasant,” he explains. “I would like to leave, please.” Even The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance establishes a new index to track involvement in cultural activities. “This can’t be right,” says analyst. “Under Bridesburg it just says ‘-4.’” Plus 1 Jimmy Rollins and his girlfriend will appear in a fashion spread for Playboy. “Wow,” says Pat Burrell. “They printed my letter.” Plus 1

M A R C H 2 6 - A P R I L 2 , 2 0 0 9 | C I T Y PA P E R . N E T

Michael Nutter plans to keep 46 of the city’s 73 pools open this summer, despite raising only a quarter of the $2 million he’d hoped to get in private donations. Also, he’s calling them Wet Libraries. Plus 2

10 | P H I L A D E L P H I A C I T Y PA P E R |

doron@citypaper.net

DUKE SUCKS, P. 16

to phase out the program almost the minute protocol still prevailed. The person eventuthe financial storm clouds started rolling in, ally arrested in the shooting was just 13, shortly after Street’s once similarly heralded and the city decided to make Point Breeze curfew centers were shuttered. It went out host to the city’s first curfew center and third of existence entirely in December. AVRP program. Critics of Nutter’s decision Residents were relieved readily acknowledge misthat a program like AVRP, takes in AVRP’s handling, which many felt was long but view the shutdown as overdue, had finally come shortsighted. I asked Cheryl to the area. Volunteers were Weiss, executive director of recruited for the curfew cenThe life and death of Diversified Community Serter, and people were engaged. a highly touted youth vices in South Philly, which “It was a pretty powerful proviolence prevention ran an AVRP program, and cess,” says Little. program. Mitch Little, who was an AVRP’s predecessor,YVRP, By Andrew Thompson administrator there, what is basically intensive proservices remain in the neighbation: An officer visits a n 2005, as the homicide rate in Phila- borhood for problem kids, now that the pro- released convict more than 25 times a month. The intention is to watch the person’s every delphia rose frighteningly, the Street gram has been shut down. Little laughed. move short of installing surveillance in his administration had an idea. It would home, and step in the moment trouble seems take the highly reputed Youth Violence Reduction Partnership, a program that Diversified Community Services is headquar- brewing. closely monitors youths age 15 to 24 at high risk of “killing or being killed,” and adapt it to a younger group. The new program would be for kids age 10 to 15 who were already showing signs of chronic delinquency, and it would aim to rehabilitate them before they wound up in the criminal justice system, or dead on the street. The motto of YVRP was “Alive at 25”; for the Adolescent Violence Reduction Partnership, it might have been “Record clean at 15.” AVRP began in two police districts — the 12th in Southwest Philly and the 25th in the northern badlands. Mayor Street called the $700,000 spent to launch it “the ounce of prevention that hopefully will keep us from having to spend a pound of cure.” Then-Councilman Michael Nutter said, “Finally, we’ll be getting the desperately needed services people have been asking for.” A MAN WITHOUT A PLAN: Mitch Little worked for the now-defunct But over the next couple of years, AVRP. When asked what’s available for kids now, he laughs. AVRP ballooned into a $16 million AVRP modified this model for younger kids, citywide program that, Nutter’s Deputy tered in Point Breeze, next to a housing projMayor Donald Schwarz says, “wasn’t get- ect and a run-down commercial corridor. The and added a second portion that included ting enough bang for its buck.” In interviews area regularly has among the highest crime counseling and conflict resolution. The way Weiss remembers it, the program now, city officials and community organiz- rates in the city. In summer 2006, tensions in the communi- made an immediate difference. In the two surers describe it as a good idea that was run aground by mismanagement and blind-faith ty reached a head when a stray bullet landed rounding police districts, between 2005 and support. The Nutter administration began in the leg of a little girl, and “no snitching” >>> continued on page 12 BUREAUCRACY NOW

The snowfall for Philadelphia is measured in Gloucester County. More white flight. Even After Michael Nutter announces his budget, former mayor John Street tells reporters he would have made different choices. Too soon, John. Minus 1 George Perrier, John Bolaris and others judge the Miss Philadelphia Pageant. From behind the tinted windows of an illegally parked minivan. Even The Philadelphia Zoo celebrates its 150th birthday. “Feels like longer,” says Galapagos Tortoise. “Why won’t I die?” Plus 5 Total Pluses: 9 Total minuses: -1 Total for the Week: 8 Last Week’s Total: 11

Too Much Too Soon

Fair describes the program’s handling as an absurdist comedy directed by Street.

I

ANDREW THOMPSON

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