Acknowledgements
The development of the Comprehensive Strategic Work Plan to Reduce Community Violence and Thrive, is the result of a united effort of the multi-disciplinary Strategic Work Plan Committee of the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP). We appreciate the dedication of those who contributed to this endeavor:
Linda McGlone, Past Chair
Monterey County Health Department, Coordinator, Youth Violence Prevention
Jose Arreola
City of Salinas, Community Safety Administrator Director, Community Alliance for Safety and Peace
Anthony Rocha
Brian McCauley
Carol Cervantes
Casey Powers
Clare Margason
Ernest Howard
Frances (“Pinkie”) Weesner
Henry Gomez
Jordan Jeske
Jorge Rubio
Karen Silva
Kimberly Robinson
Kristan Lundquist
Marley Morales
Phillip Murphy
Rafael Zavala
Reyna Alcala
Richard Renard
Ricky Cadriel
Rosemary Soto
Simeon Mauricio
Sorena Holquist
Taryn Kearns
Salinas Union High School District
Refuge Church
City of Salinas, Street Outreach
Rebekah Children’s Services
United Way Monterey County
Peacock Acres
Harmony at Home
Salinas Police Department
Refuge Church
Sun Street Centers
California State University, Monterey Bay
City of Salinas, Police Department
City of Salinas, Library & Community Services
City of Salinas, Community Safety
Middlebury Institute of International Studies
Salinas City Elementary School District
Sun Street Centers
Market Place Meets Mission
Refuge Church
Monterey County Administrative Office
Refuge Church
CHOICE Program, Natividad Medical Center
YWCA of Monterey County
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
I. Introduction
II. The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP)
A. Changes since 2013
B. Strengths and weaknesses
C. Coalition structure
III. Needs and Challenges
A. Listening sessions
B. Action Plan analysis
C. Preventing and Reducing homicides
D. Addition of domestic violence and teen dating violence
E. A Call to Action: Creating protective community environments
IV. Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives
A. Social and Economic Conditions
B. Engaging and Supporting Youth
C. Healthy and Safe Communities
D. Law Enforcement
E. Education and Schools
F. Drugs and Alcohol
V. Evaluation and Results Overview
A. Key indicators
B. Long term outcomes
VI. Sustainability
Appendix I CASP General Assembly Members
Executive Summary
For over 13 years, the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) has coordinated and implemented a collective impact strategy to reduce youth violence in Salinas and Monterey County. I am incredibly proud to report that youth violence is down over 60% in the last 10 years! We are one of the most beautiful regions in the country - filled with hard working people and innovative businesses and organizations. I truly believe our collective work here at CASP changed the narrative of our community to one of beautiful weather, imaginative people, and active youth! Together we have accomplished what many believed to be impossible. This Strategic Work Plan lays out how we can continue these promising trends in reducing violence in our community.
- Mayor, Kimbley Craig
The City of Salinas and County of Monterey have witnessed a historic reduction in violence over the last decade. We must recognize this as a community and speak into existence the narrative of a peaceful and thriving Monterey County. For too long our County has been characterized with a reputation of being violent and dangerous. As Co-Chair of the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace I know first-hand the amazing collective impact of agencies working together to reduce violence. This Strategic Plan defines what has worked well, what programs we still need or need more of and the data showing the trends in violence in Salinas and Monterey County over the last decade. I am confident that with our continued commitment to strategic partnerships and the collective impact model that violence will continue to trend downward.
– Supervisor, Luis
Alejo
I. Introduction
Much has happened since the Salinas Comprehensive Strategy for Community-wide Violence Reduction was drafted in 2013. The narrative in Salinas has changed dramatically since then, as reflected in the City’s updated vision statement: “A peaceful and thriving community achieved through equity.” Salinas has seen a shift from a focus on “at risk” youth perpetrating gang violence, to a strength-based approach, involving youth and residents in the improvement of their community. The City, County and community-based organizations have all contributed to a dramatic decline from the extraordinarily high levels of violence experienced in 2007. Since then, violent crime has dropped by 40% and the rate of violent assaults of youth has dropped by 57%!
The impact of gang violence has been powerful, including the loss of family members, increased medical costs, declines in academic achievement and stalled economic development. As we move forward from these years of violence, both root causes and community strengths to address these problems have been revealed: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), structural racism and housing instability have emerged as root causes of community violence. In response, community strengths have emerged to tackle these new challenges, such as the growth of the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) and Building Healthy Communities (BHC), the Health Department’s teen dating violence prevention work in the high schools, a more prominent role for youth in making community change and the collective impact of many agencies aligned around shared goals to reduce violence.
SINCE 2007 violent crime is down 40%
SALINAS
CITY VISION: A peaceful and thriving community achieved through equity
SINCE 2007 rate of violent youth assulats is down 57%
II. The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP)
A. Changes since 2013
Since 2013, CASP has continued to evolve through the growth of its membership, tracking of data, strategic partnerships and leadership. We have continued to educate our Alliance on the importance of a public health approach to violence prevention. This is a prevention first approach that has evolved from our early roots in the PIER Model, which brings a continued commitment to intervention, enforcement and re-entry. This broad strategy to violence reduction continues to show promising results across our city and county over time, attracting a cross sector group of influential leaders who inform important policy decisions in many key systemic institutions such as education, faith-based organizations, community based organizations, philanthropy and local government.
One of the most striking changes has been in the membership of CASP which has become increasingly younger and more diverse in race. At our founding in 2008, the essential nature of having youth at the center of our decision making; however, at the time we had no young people participating in CASP. It has been our goal to involve more youth in CASP by making persistent invitations to young professionals to join the Alliance, inviting all members to bring program interns to CASP meetings, making youth focus groups a center piece of our strategic plan development and holding youth panels often as part of CASP meetings. Over time CASP has attracted numerous college age youth from Hartnell College, California State University Monterey Bay and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS). The coalition’s partnership with MIIS students and instructors has been particularly fruitful as a result of their contributions to evaluation and the community, as young professionals in local agencies. We will continue to work to maintain representation from youth.
The membership of CASP has become increasingly YOUNGER and MORE DIVERSE
The SWOT analysis revealed the coalition’s WEAKNESS to be FUNDING
CO-CHAIR ROLES, designated for the Mayor of Salinas and one County Supervisor, remain unchanged
B. Strengths and Weaknesses
In 2017, the CASP Strategic Work Plan Committee conducted a SWOT analysis with the General Assembly. Members identified the coalition’s greatest strength as its diversity. What had begun in 2009 as an exclusive group of officials and department heads, has grown to more closely resemble the population of Salinas: Younger and Latino. The SWOT analysis revealed the coalition’s weakness to be funding. While Silicon Valley cities fund local programs through an RFP process to fulfill their strategic plan objectives, Salinas adopted a collective impact approach, inviting agencies to align their work with the City’s strategic plan objectives. Each agency sought their own funding, primarily through local and federal grants. A more centralized approach funded through a municipal bond or larger federal grant was rejected by the members of the Strategic Work Plan, as bypassing local agencies and leaders.
C. Coalition Structure
One important structure of CASP that has remained unchanged is the continued Co-Chair roles, designated for the Mayor of Salinas and one County Supervisor. Recently our second Mayor to ever Co-chair CASP passed away unexpectedly, and the newly elected Mayor stepped into the role without hesitation. In 2016, we had our first change in Supervisor, when Supervisor Luis Alejo graciously stepped into this role, embracing the Alliance and its members. These Co-Chairs oversee meetings of the General Assembly and the Board of Directors. CASP is staffed by the City of Salinas, Community Safety Administrator, who serves as the Director of CASP.
III. Needs and Challenges
A. Identifying Critical Needs
A needs assessment was conducted to identify critical needs in Salinas related to violence reduction and prevention. To identify critical needs, community listening sessions were held, the Action Plan listing relevant programs and services was analyzed for gaps and interviews with individuals working in areas of potential need were conducted.
In preparation for the update of the strategic plan, listening sessions were held with 125 Salinas residents during the first half of 2018. The sessions were led by Strategic Work Plan (SWP) members with diverse groups, including the faith community, recently released parolees, teens at the Boys & Girls Club, and elementary school teachers, among others. Groups of residents were asked:
“What does Salinas need more of to reduce violence?”
The top four concerns most frequently raised by residents to reduce violence were:
Support for education (43)
Economic concerns, focusing on jobs, wages and income (31)
Community connectedness (31)
Housing (28)
Support for education included concerns for school funding of more, high quality staff; high quality education and materials; and afterschool programs. Interest in community connectedness focused on more youth and family activities, especially outdoors, with better promotion of these activities and events. The Strategic Work Plan Committee has added an objective to “Promote safe and sober family activities,” based on the residents’ concerns from the listening sessions.
An Action Plan has been continuously compiled by the Health Department’s STRYVE Program over the last five years. The Action Plan lists over 175 programs related to violence reduction and prevention, held in Salinas. Along with the program name, agencies are asked to provide the current number of program participants served in a year and a target number to increase the number of participants served. The Action Plan was used to assess whether services exist to fulfil each objective and whether existing services have sufficient reach to achieve Plan objectives.
Interviews with lead agency staff helped to determine in which objectives a critical need appears to exist. For example, deficits in the area of employment and job skills training were not labelled as critical needs but overcrowding among low wage workers suggests that there are not enough jobs that pay a living wage to afford the high costs of housing in Salinas. And while there appears to be sufficient programs for English language learning, it was reported that a lack of funding exists to purchase some of the materials needed to successfully complete the program.
During this discussion of critical needs, the Strategic Work Plan Committee members raised a concern that emerged in 2015 when Salinas experienced a record breaking 40 homicides. That need was for a crisis response team to visit the victim’s family and to connect with neighbors who may be traumatized by violence on their street. This was labelled a critical need and is shown on the list below:
Assessed Needs Identified Through Action Plan Analysis and Interviews with Lead Agency Staff
Assessed/ Identified Need
Crisis Response Team
Case management of violenceimpacted individuals in need of housing, mental health and DMV services
Attaining a GED, high school diploma or equivalency
More students would benefit from enrollment in Alternative Education
Is this a critical need? YES
How could we fulfill this need?
Coordinate existing resources, such as Behavioral Health and City’s Street Outreach Team to serve neighborhood needs after a shooting
More community-based case managers, with stable funding are needed. The challenge for the Street Outreach Team is finding qualified staff to serve as case managers
During the pandemic, there has been a waiting list for English language GED classes. Since this may be temporary, no changes will be made at this time
More youth could benefit from Alternative Education, but community partners do not seem to understand the referral process or understand the variety of Alternative Education Programs available.
There are a number of strategies that CASP can implement to help meet the needs identified in this process. Education, economic concerns and housing are macro level issues, strongly guided by State and Federal funding. However, the CASP Policy Committee could agree to support legislation and local initiatives such as the Alisal Vibrancy Plan; the CASP Board could invite local leadership in these areas to join CASP or ask them to make presentation(s); or CASP members could form a subcommittee to examine these issues as they relate to violence and offer their recommendations to relevant local organizations. Local agencies such as the City’s Housing and Community Development agency and Recreation & Community Services should be encouraged to share their recent Plans with CASP members, who can apply their knowledge of factors that affect violence, GIS hotspot mapping and trends in relevant data to suggest improvements.
B. Preventing and Reducing Homicides
In 2015 Salinas reached the highest number of homicides recorded by the City in the past 20 years. That year 40 residents were killed, primarily in gang-related violence. The Strategic Work Plan Committee met repeatedly to identify strategies to reduce the number of homicides. The Committee recognized that Salinas had lost its street outreach program and recommended funding to replace that important function.
The City of Salinas’ Street Outreach program focuses on high-risk, violence impacted youth, ages 14 to 24. This program prevents violence and has contributed to a significant reduction in homicides. Program staff visit neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of violence to connect with youth on the streets. Referrals are offered and interested youth are invited to join the City’s program. Once enrolled, an individualized case plan is developed, that might include drug rehabilitation, mental health counselling, or educational services to finish high school.
Since the launch of the program in 2016, 120 youth have been enrolled. Out of these 120 youth, eight have been arrested for gun charges, of which three were for homicides. None have been victims of homicide.
The Street Outreach program needs additional, qualified staff with integrity and an understanding of gang culture in Salinas.
In 2015 Salinas reached the HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOMICIDES RECORDED by the City in the past 20 years
The City of Salinas’ Street Outreach program focuses on high-risk, violence impacted youth,
AGES
14 TO 24
Since the launch of the program in 2016, 120 YOUTH HAVE BEEN ENROLLED
C. Addition of Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Violence
With significant declines in gang violence, the prevalence of other violent crimes in Salinas became more apparent, particularly domestic violence. The City’s Cross-Functional Team noted the presence of domestic violence in the homes of many gang involved youth. The number of younger domestic violence victims in Salinas, ages 10-24 remains relatively unchanged from 167 in 2015 to 159 in 2020. However, the number of younger victims is increasing as percent of the total number of victims.*
The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) voted to add these forms of violence to their focus on youth violence. The current efforts of CASP member agencies to prevent youth violence, domestic violence and teen dating violence have a broad impact on multiple forms of violence that share common risk and protective factors.** This broader view of violence is addressed in the updated Plan’s objectives, recognizing the need for “increased access to...crisis intervention services” and “an increased percentage of youth with healthy relationship skills.”
the number of younger victims IS INCREASING AS PERCENT of the total number of victims
D. A Call to Action: Creating Protective Community Environments
A review of CASP member agencies’ programs in the Action Plan reveals a strong set of strategies to reduce and prevent violence, reaching tens of thousands of people in Salinas. Most of our strategies consist of services and programs that help individuals and families. These strategies have undoubtedly contributed to a significant decline in violent injuries among youth since 2008.
However, additional strategies such as policy change, social marketing and changes that make the environment safer, are needed to further reduce violence in Salinas. While we have numerous strategies to engage and support youth, there are few strategies to address the conditions in the environment that influence youth behaviors and norms. For example, neighborhoods with a wellmaintained recreation center that is easily accessed and whose staff connects with youth have been shown to prevent violence. The social-ecological model considers the complex interaction between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors in the prevention of violence. More strategies at the community and societal levels will complement our existing strategies and strengthen our capacity to prevent violence.
* Salinas Police Department, 2015-2019. Prepared for: STRYVE Monterey County Health Department (MCHD), 2020. Prepared by: MCHD Plan- ning, Evaluation, and Policy Unit
** Wilkins N, Tsao B, Hertz M, Davis R, Klevens J (2014) Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links among Multiple Forms of Violence At- lanta GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention Institute, Oakland CA.
Listed below are community and societal level change strategies shown to be effective in preventing multiple forms of violence. These strategies have been selected since they align with the objectives and goals in the Plan’s areas of “Social and Economic Conditions” and “Healthy and Safe Communities,” where existing programs are lacking. Agencies are encouraged to consider adapting their current programs to include a community level strategy, such as participation in a City Council meeting on issues that affect youth.
Social and Economic Conditions
Goal I: All residents have the ability and opportunity to earn a living wage; obtain appropriate housing and have access to necessary social and work support systems, to provide for their families.
New Strategies and Approaches
• Provide quality education early in life
• Improve organizational policies and school climate
• Create regulations and policies to improve household financial security and affordable housing
• Provide treatment to lessen harms of violent exposures
• Reduce concentrated poverty and residential instability
Examples
Preschool enrichment with family engagement
Businesses provide family leave, childcare policies; schools have protocols for assisting victims of teen dating violence. Businesses pay a livable wage providing a pathway to homeownership; cities support mixed use zoning and development that blends residential, commercial, and other uses into one space
School-based counsellors and trauma informed teaching methods; wellness centers on school campuses
Income tax assistance to receive “Earned Income Tax Credit;” community activities that build neighborhood cohesion
Healthy and Safe Communities
New Strategies and Approaches
• Improve the physical qualities of places where people come together
• Improve social environment
• Decrease the density of alcohol outlets
• Change community norms that promote violence
Examples
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) to improve lighting, add more green space and routine maintenance of public spaces
Civic engagement that brings residents together for joint problem solving, such as Visión Salinas.
Map alcohol outlets and participate in efforts to limit new licenses
Social marketing campaign
Goal II: Residents have pride in all neighborhoods, and all neighborhoods support peaceful community life and positive community engagement. Improve the PHYSICAL QUALITIES OF PLACES where people come together
IV. Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives
Our Vision: A peaceful and thriving community achieved through equity. Mission Statement: To build, support, and sustain a peaceful community through Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement and Re-entry (PIER) strategies in Salinas, by mobilizing a multisector coalition.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OVERVIEW
A. Social and Economic Conditions
Goal I: All residents have the ability and opportunity to earn a living wage, obtain appropriate housing, and have access to necessary social and work support system to provide for their families
A. Increase percentage of families able to provide children with basic needs such as housing, food and clothing.
B. Increase the level of adult literacy and the percentage of adults earning GEDs or other educational equivalents.
C. Faith communities are available to support families spiritually in time of need.
D. Increase access to trauma informed physical, behavioral health and crisis intervention services for those in need.
E. Increase participation in job skills training to prepare workers for a living wage.
B. Engaging and Supporting Youth and Families
Goal II: Families and the entire community promote positive youth development
A. Increase percentage of children and youth engaged in youth leadership and enrichment activities.
B. Increase the percentage of youth with healthy relationship skills.
C. Increase and enhance more positive services supporting gang - impacted youth.
D. Increase percentage of parents and caregivers who feel supported and demonstrate discipline, caring and nurturing practices with children.
C. Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal III: Residents have pride in all neighborhoods, and all neighborhoods support peaceful community life and positive community engagement
A. Increase opportunities for residents to exercise, gather and play outdoors.
B. Increase area of open and maintained green space.
C. Support the faith communities’ connection to neighborhoods and residents.
D. Promote safe and sober family activities.
E. Decrease vandalism and blight.
F. Decrease children’s exposure to all forms of violence, including domestic violence.
G. Increase awareness and the capacity to intervene in human trafficking and exploitation.
H. Increase community engagement and participation, and support leadership.
D. Law Enforcement
Goal IV: The community and law enforcement partner to create safe and thriving neighborhoods
A. Law enforcement continues to engage positively with the community to build trust and relationships.
B. Decrease illegal access to firearms and ammunitions.
C. Change gang dynamics by shifting to prevention, in addition to suppression, of any and all gang involvement.
D. Enhance law enforcement by using data driven approaches to reduce crime.
E. Education and Schools
Goal V: All youth and their families are engaged with schools to ensure academic achievement and positive youth development, in a safe environment
A. Increase daily attendance and graduation rates and decrease truancy and dropout rates.
B. Improve school safety and prevent bullying.
C. Increase parent participation in children’s education and schools.
D. Increase capacity of alternate educational pathways.
E. Implement culturally and linguistically sustaining practices to improve reading proficiency.
F. Drugs and Alcohol
Goal VI: Reduce the demand and supply of alcohol and drugs
A. Decrease the supply and demand for illegal drugs, and the misuse of prescription drugs.
B. Decrease alcohol abuse among adults and prevent alcohol use among youth.
C. Increase access to treatment for substance abuse, including for youth and families.
- OUR MISSION -
To build, support, and sustain a peaceful community through Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement and Re-entry (PIER) strategies in Salinas, by mobilizing a multisector coalition
A. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Housing is a social determinant of health that also impacts safety. Housing instability encompasses a number of challenges, such as having trouble paying rent, overcrowding, moving frequently, staying with relatives, or spending the bulk of household income on housing. Housing Instability is a key issue in a community’s economic stability.
The Challenge of Housing -
Matt Huerta, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
With a median household income of just $54,864,2 increasing rent and lack of affordable housing forces Salinas families to live in overcrowded and substandard conditions. Marginalized residents live in the shadows of our community, weakening the social fabric of neighborhoods and leaving residents without a collective voice to promote safety and protect against victimization. To strengthen neighborhoods, some CHISPA developments offer art and other activities to help residents get to know their neighbors and build a sense of community.
The State has intervened with renter protections afforded by AB 1482 to help prevent no-cause evictions and deter price gouging. 3 Affordable housing developers in Salinas and across the state are eligible for funding from voter approved Proposition 1 which helps to create housing for veterans and farmworkers, affordable multifamily housing, infrastructure and homeownership programs. 4
Goal I: All residents have the ability and opportunity to earn a living wage; obtain appropriate housing and have access to necessary social and work support systems, in order to provide for their families
• Increase percentage of families able to provide children with basic needs such as housing, food and clothing.
• Increase the level of adult literacy and the percentage of adults earning GEDs or other educational equivalents.
• Faith communities are available to support families spiritually in time of need.
• Increase access to trauma informed physical, behavioral health and crisis intervention services for those in need.
• Increase participation in job skills training to prepare workers for a living wage.
Median sales price of a HOME IN SALINAS 2021 $615,00 1
Among 600 Salinas youth, family connectedness remained CONSISTENTLY HIGH from 8th to 10th grade
52%
Percentage of Salinas Households who spend 30% or more of Income on Rent
66%
Percentage of Hispanics in Salinas without Health Insurance
1. Salinas Housing Market Trends, Redfin, March 31, 2021. 2. American FactFinder, 2017 3. Tenant Protection Act of 2019, Section 1946.2, Civil Code, Chaptered October 8, 2019 4.California Proposition 1, Housing Programs and Veterans’ Loans Bond (Approved November 2018)
B. ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING YOUTH AND FAMILIES
8 IN 10 YOUTH
report close families and strong communities
Youth who FEEL CONNECTED to their families are more likely to do well in school
Strong families protect communities from violence. Youth who feel connected to their families are more likely to do well in school. Communities can promote strong families through education, economic policies, housing and equity, as suggested in the Social Ecological Model.
First 5 Monterey County: Closing the Equity Gap
- Sonja Koehler
Bright Beginnings is a collective impact initiative to transform systems to support all young children, prenatal to 8 years, and their parents.
A collaborative, county-wide early childhood development strategic framework, “Together, Preparing Every Child for Life and School,” defines two objectives to meet by 2025: 1. Double the number of children who are well prepared for kindergarten; and 2. Reduce the gaps in kindergarten readiness between children in low- income and non-lowincome households. The key drivers to meeting these objectives are: A comprehensive, equita- ble system that supports all children’s holistic development; Empowered and resilient parents; Families surrounded by concrete and social supports; and Caregivers that support children’s growth and learning.
25%
Percentage of all 9th graders report high levels of MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION at school
“ I
do feel that youth involvement is important, especially in trying to help our community.”
-Lesli Avendano, age 16, Ciclovia
Goal II: Families and the entire community promote positive youth development
• Increase percentage of children and youth engaged in youth leadership and enrichment activities.
• Increase the percentage of youth with healthy relationship skills.
• Increase and enhance more positive services supporting gang-impacted youth.
• Increase percentage of parents and caregivers who feel supported and demonstrate discipline, caring and nurturing practices with children.
9th Graders
Meaningful Participation in Groups or Organizational Activities
Salinas has 1.8 acres of park per 1,000 residents, compared to the State standard of more than 3 acres per 1,000 residents
In 2018 -19, 54% of SUHSD 9th graders reported feeling safe or very safe in their neighborhood parks and playgrounds, compared to 46% in 2012-13
C. HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITIES
Strong communities are made up of people who form relationships and build trust. This social fabric can resist negative influences, such as crime. Social cohesion is supported by places to gather, a shared sense of culture and connections to the local government. Studies show that access to green space is associated with lower crime.
Building Healthy Communities
The Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Collaborative continues to invest in residents and youth, by engaging with government to achieve a thriving community. Through the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, begun in 2016, the City and BHC are making efforts to ensure resident engagement and ownership of public planning that affects land use, safety and quality of life.
In 2018-19, 73% of SUHSD 9th graders reported feeling safe or very safe in their neighborhood, up from 63% in 2012-13 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE
Ciclovía Salinas has been held annually, opening opportunities for youth to move to other BHC projects such as CPTED and La Cosecha. These projects give youth a space where they can be heard and sharpens their leadership. Padres Unidos has transformed the way residents engage with schools by ensuring that input from participating parents was included in the school’s Local Control and Accountability Plan budget. The BHC Collaborative seeks racially equitable solutions across government, community, philanthropic sectors, with key partners Center for Community Advocacy, MILPA, the Labor Council, COPA, Baktun 12, and CHISPA.
Goal III: Residents have pride in all neighborhoods; and all neighborhoods support peaceful community life and positive community engagement
• Increase opportunities for residents to exercise, gather and play outdoors.
• Increase area of open and maintained green space.
• Support the faith communities’ connection to neighborhoods and residents.
• Promote safe and sober family activities.
• Decrease vandalism and blight.
• Decrease children’s exposure to all forms of violence, including domestic violence.
• Increase community engagement, participation and support leadership.
D. LAW ENFORCEMENT
An integrated strategy to violence reduction incorporates prevention, intervention, enforcement and re-entry (PIER). The role of enforcement is to protect people from those who have become a threat a to the community. Building trust with residents and business owners is the most effective way of securing neighborhoods, making them safer for all.
Salinas Police Department
- Chief Adele Fresé
The Mission Statement of the Salinas Police Department is, “To work in partnership with the people of Salinas to enhance the quality of life through the delivery of professional, superior and compassionate police services to the community.”
The Department’s approach to crime fighting is two-fold: First, we customize our Community Policing and problem solving to meet the needs of our community, where we are today. This means officers are encouraged to seek creative solutions in partnership with residents and business owners to address issues of crime and quality of life. The second component involves the management team. In our quest to provide relative, transparent, and timely responses to safety concerns in our community, the Department has coined the strategy StIER - Strategic Information Exchange and Response - which stresses the purposeful sharing of criminal intelligence and other viable information between command level personnel, emphasizing accountability through action plans and follow-up.
Goal IV: The community and law enforcement partner to create safe and thriving neighborhoods
• Law enforcement continues to engage positively with the community to build trust and relationships.
• Decrease illegal access to firearms and ammuntions.
• Change gang dynamics by shifting to prevention, in addition to suppression, of any and all gang involvement.
• Enhance law enforcement by using data driven approaches to reduce crime.
DEPARTMENT MISSION:
To work in partnership with the people of Salinas to enhance the quality of life through the delivery of professional, superior and compassionate police services to the community
FIREARMS
were used in 68% of murders in California in 2019.
67% of those firearms were handguns
65%
Percentage decline in violent assaults of youth, in Salinas, 2007 to 2019
80%
Percentage decline in homicides from 2015 to 2019 in Salinas
E. EDUCATION
Low educational achievement and poor academic performance among peers are risk factors associated for youth violence; while high educational aspirations are protective and lessen the likelihood of youth violence victimization or perpetration. From a quality education early in life to social-emotional supports in high school, educational attainment improves the economic outlook for individuals and the community as a whole.
Salinas Union High School District (SUHSD)
- Irelia Dominguez, Director of Pupil Personnel Services
The Salinas Union High School District, has been intentional and deliberate in integrating systems of support and increasing community partnerships to prevent youth violence. We have successfully implemented Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) with fidelity on all our campuses. We have expanded our partnerships to include a mental health therapist at every school in order support our youth. Our high schools have a dedicated resource counselor assigned through Community Human Services, offering programs such as Youth Alternatives to Violence. All our middle schools have a Sticks and Stones counselor. We have trained all our students on how to respond to an active shooter. We have updated and refined our suicide risk assessment, to respond systematically to students in mental distress. Finally, we are truly excited to open two Wellness Centers at Everett Alvarez High School and Harden Middle School to address the entire student and their needs.
Goal V: All youth and their families are engaged with schools to ensure academic achievement and positive youth development, in a safe environment
• Increase daily attendance and graduation rates; and decrease truancy and dropout rates.
• Improve school safety and prevent bullying.
• Increase parent participation in children’s education and schools.
• Strengthen schools’ collaboration with organizations that support student success, during school and after school hours.
• Increase capacity of alternate educational pathways.
• Implement culturally and linguistically sustaining practices to improve reading proficiency.
Perception of School Staff Safety
All Salinas Union High School Dstrict Schools
(High School Students and Staff)
79% of SUHSD students considered socioeconomically disadvantaged, because they are 79% eligible for free or reduced priced meals; or have parents/ guardians who did not receive a high school diploma (2020)
86% of all SUHSD students graduated from highschool, including students who complete their graduation requirements at an alternative school (2019)
F. DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Involvement with drugs, alcohol, or tobacco is a risk factor for youth violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault, suicide, bullying and other forms of violence. Access to alcohol can be reduced by enforcing local licensing regulations to decrease the density of alcohol-related businesses. Proponents of legalizing marijuana contend that this will lower street crime, take business away from the drug cartels, and make marijuana use safer through regulation.
Legalization of Cannabis in California
- Reyna Alcala, Director of Prevention and Jorge Rubio, Prevention Coordinator, Sun Street Centers
On November 8, 2016, by statewide initiative, the voters enacted the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, creating a state licensing program for commercial adult-use cannabis activities. On June 27, 2017, the state enacted the Medicinal and Adult-Use of Cannabis Regulatory and Safety Act (Business and Professions Code Section 26000 et seq.), which com- bined the medical marijuana and adult use laws into a single state licensing scheme. In spite of legislation, California’s black market was estimated as worth more than four times the value of the legal market. Current studies have shown that more frequent use of marijuana, especially high potency cannabis, increases the odds of having a psychotic epi- sode later.1 Psychosis has been associated with increased likelihood of violence, including self-harm.2 More research is needed on the effects of cannabis and the brain, especially in adolescents.
1. Marta Di Forti, PhD, Diego Quattrone, MD, Tom P Freeman, PhD, et al. “The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study.” The Lancet VOLUME 6, ISSUE 5, P427-436, Accessed 5/1/01, 2019 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/ article/PIIS2215-0366(19)30048-3/fulltext
2. Douglas, K.S., Guy, L. S., & Hart, S. D. (2009). Psychosis as a risk factor for violence to others: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 135(5), 679-706. Accessed 7/25/19 https://psycnetapa.org/doi/10.1037/a0016311
Goal VI: Reduce the demand and supply of alcohol and drugs
• Decrease the supply and demand for illegal drugs; and the misuse of prescription drugs.
• Decrease alcohol abuse among adults and prevent alcohol use among youth.
• Increase access to treatment for substance abuse, including for youth and families.
The amount of cannabis tax revenue generated in Salinas in 2020. Tax revenue also generated $166,199 in monitoring and enforcement fees. *
* Jimenez, C. March 11, 2021 “Salinas is generating big cannabis tax revenue. The question now is how to spend it.” Seaside CA, Monterey County Coast Weekly
https://www.montereycountyweekly. com/news/local_news/salinas-isgenerating-big-cannabis-tax-revenuethe-question-now-is-how-to-spend-it/ article_31b2b34e-81ec-11eb8164-e78 4d9ede989.html
Salinas Union High
Summary of AOD Lifetime Use, Salinas Union High School District, California Healthy Kids
Survey: Main Report, California Department of Education
V. Evaluation
Tracking changes over time allows for course corrections and opportunities to celebrate the coalition’s success. The STRYVE Program at the Monterey County Health Department conducted the evaluation of the CASP members’ contribution to violence reduction. Data was evaluated at the intermediate and long-term outcome levels. Intermediate level indicators were selected by the CASP General Assembly, as factors that directly influence the likelihood of violence occurring.
Students Who Have Been Verbally Harrassed or Buillied Two or More Times at School, by Grade
Grade 7
Grade 9
Grade 11
Non-Traditional*
Students Who Have Been Phisically Harrassed or Buillied Two or More Times at School, by Grade
Grade 7
Grade 9
Grade 11
Non-Traditional*
Source: California Healthy WestEd data, Salinas Union High School, Student – Secondary Academic Years.
Source: California Healthy Salinas Union High School, Student –Secondary Reports for 2009-2019 Academic Years
Notes: Non-Traditional is defined as Continuation, Community Day, or Alternative School. Student surveys were not conducted during the 2010-2011, 2013-2014, and 2015-2016 academic school years and for Grade 11 during the 2017- 2018 academic year.
Prepared for STRYVE Monterey County Health Department (MCHD) by MCHD Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Unit. 2021.
Students Who Have Been Suspended or Expelled from School
Suspension Rate
Expulsion Rate
Third Grade Students who Met or Exceeded Third Grade Reading Level
Alisal Union School District
Salinas City Elementary School District
Source: California Department of Education Data Reporting Office, Discipline Report. Academic School Years 2013-2018 for Salinas Union High School District.
Source: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. Smarter Balanced Results for Alisal Union School District and Salinas City School District 2015-2019.
Students Who were Chronically Absent during the School Year
Salinas Union High School District
Source: California Department of Education Data Reporting Office, Chronic Absenteeism Reports Academic School Years 2016-2017 to 2018-2019.
Note: Chronic Absenteeism is the unduplicated counts of students determined to be chronically absent divided by the Chronic Absenteeism Eligible Enrollment.
LONG-TERM INDICATORS
Victims of Violent Assualts, Ages 10-24, Salilnas, CA
Monterey County Violent Assult per 1,000 Youth
Statistically significant decrease in youth victim violent assualt rate in Salinas from 2007 through 2019
Violent Crime Rate for California, Monterey County and Salinas, CA
California
Salinas
Monterey County
Statistically significant decrease in violent crime rate in Salinas from 2001 through 2018
Homicide Rates for California, Monterey County and Salinas, CA
California
Salinas
Monterey County
Note: Point markers lacking solid fill represent statistically unstable estimates. Interpret with caution.
VI. Sustainability of an Initiative
The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) began in 2009 to stop the violence in the City of Salinas. The coalition meets twice each month and is still going strong, averaging about 45 members and participants per meeting. The City of Salinas employs the Director of CASP, who also serves as the Community Safety Administrator, as well as other staff dedicated to reducing and preventing violence. CASP, its members and the City’s commitment to violence prevention, intervention and enforcement are the basic elements essential to sustaining this very successful Initiative.
Sustainability planning identifies what resources and core functions are essential to achieve a particular mission. Since the mission is to reduce and prevent violence, then best practice suggests that a multisector coalition like CASP is necessary to achieving this mission. The coalition requires staff and an organizational structure for support. This backbone and convening of interested agencies around a shared goal is critical to the success of a collective impact approach. The Director of CASP convenes the meetings, staff send out meeting announcements and maintain a roster of members, and the Salinas City Elementary School District provides a meeting space. With the exception of the meeting room, the City provides these resources and funds a significant portion of this Initiative.
CASP members are “a coalition of the willing.” The programs and services that CASP participants represent do not receive funding from the City of Salinas, as in larger cities such as San José. Members network at meetings, learn about other programs, and form partnerships. Strategic partnerships support sustainability and bring resources to achieve the mission. But what sustains participation in the coalition? A shared vision and commitment to stopping violence? Support from partners engaged in this same difficult, but rewarding work? An interest in changes and the forces at play in the community that might affect their work? Access to leaders, including the Mayor and a member of the County Board of Supervisors? To maintain the power of the CASP members and participants who do the work of violence reduction and prevention, annual assessments should be conducted to keep coalition attendees engaged.
In addition to funding CASP staff, the City demonstrates its commitment to reducing and preventing violence within its organizational structure. The City of Salinas Library & Community Services Department is a primary driver of prevention in Salinas through Parks, Recreation, Libraries, Sports and Neighborhood Services. Law enforcement, in partnership with residents, makes Salinas safer through community policing, violence suppression and getting illegal firearms off the street. The Community Engagement and Partnerships Division coordinates CalVIP grants awarded to CASP members to do the work of violence reduction and prevention.
Sustainability of this Initiative requires staff, funding, organizational capacity and partnerships. The availability of these resources is not guaranteed and requires support from the City, County, State and CASP member agencies to ensure sustainability.
Apendix I CASP Members
Alisal Center for Fine Arts
Alisal Family Resource Center
Alisal Union School District
Alternatives to Violence Project
Big Sur Land Trust
Blue Zones Project
Boys & Girls Club of Monterey County
Bright Beginnings
California Highway Patrol
California State University, Monterey BayCollaborative
Health and Human Services/Nursing/Social Work
California Youth Outreach
Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey
Child Abuse Prevention Council
CHOICE Program
Christ the King, Catholic Church
City of Salinas - Community Safety Division
City of Salinas - Fire Department
City of Salinas - Library and Community Services
City of Salinas - Police Department
Community Foundation for Monterey County
Community Homeless Solutions
Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action (COPA)
Cornerstone New Hope Ministry
County Administration Office - County of Monterey
Door to Hope
Ecology Action
First 5 Monterey County
Future Citizens Foundation
Harmony at Home
Hidden Hills Ranch
Housing Authority of the County of Monterey
KION - TV
KSBW - TV
Market Place Meets Mission
Meals on Wheels Salinas
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Monterey County Board of Supervisors
Monterey County Department of Social Services
Monterey County District Attorney’s Office
Monterey County Elections
Monterey County Health Department
Monterey County Office of Education
Monterey County Probation Department
Monterey County Public Defender’s Office
Monterey County Rape Crisis Center
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
NCI Affiliates and Achievement House
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Partners for Peace
Peacock Acres
Ranch Cielo
Read To Me Project
Rebekah Children’s Services
Refuge Church
Salinas Chamber of Commerce
Salinas City Elementary School District
Salinas Union High School District
Salinas Valley Community Church
Seaside Youth Resource Center
Sun Street Centers
The Encounter Church
The Epicenter
Turning Point of Central California Monterey County
United Way Monterey County
Wonder Wood Ranch
YWCA
Comprehensive Strategic Work Plan to Prevent and Reduce Community Violence
Contact:
José Arreola, City of Salinas, Community Safety Director and Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) Director
200 Lincoln Avenue, Salinas, California 93901 831 758-7396
