By Tyrone Parker
Tyrone Parker is the executive director of the Alliance of Concerned Men a 501 C (3) nonprofit community-based organization (CBO). He is a leading expert in gang and youth violence prevention.(Courtesy Photo/allianceofconcernedmen.com)
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(Septmeber 14, 2009) - As I, in 1996, ushered a mother down the funeral aisle to bury her eldest son in and then 140 days later bury her youngest son, both of whom were homicide victims, I could not help but recall the moment when I was told that my eldest son had been murdered.
With each step she took to take a final glance of goodbye to each son, I had piercing flashbacks of the steps that I took to bury my son. Her petrifying scream transformed my life forever.
The mother, unable to confront the painfulness of coping with loss, six months later died from a broken heart. That day, I said that I never wanted to hear another woman cry like that, and I would have to do something to stop the killings that occurred in our streets.
I made a commitment that I would serve the community by finding preventive methods to help end youth violence throughout the District of Columbia through my own organization, the Alliance of Concerned Men (ACM), a nonprofit, community-based organization (CBO).
From facilitating the peace treaties of gangs/crews from Benning Terrace’s “Simple City,” to Park Morton’s “640” and others from 5th and 7th streets, for nearly 20 years ACM has dedicated its mission to saving the lives of at-risk youth and families residing in high crime areas of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan community. Since 1997, ACM has facilitated the negotiations of seven peace treaties between rival youth gangs in the metropolitan area through our peace model. We believe that this has led to a geometric progression on nonviolent behavior that along with other leading CBOs have attributed to the District’s 30-year low in homicides.
Recently, the Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that crime in District of Columbia is down by 22 percent and is on track for its lowest homicide rates in the last 30 years.
The report clearly delineates the progress by reminding us of the history of violent crime in the District which stood at 14,671 total and 482 murders in 1991; 16,685 violent crimes and 443 murders in 1992 and 16,888 violent crimes and 454 murders in1993. In comparison, there have been only 94 murders this year.
While this is a beam of light for the District, some criminologists credit new crime fighting technology that include: shot detectors that monitor activities with gun crime, tag meters that recognize stolen cars, mobile data terminals, All Hands on Deck and community policing as major aides in the reduction of crime rates.
However in the District, I believe that community based organizations have also played a significant role in crime reduction in the District and have served as safe havens for at-risk youth and families. The District’s Police Chief Cathy Lanier has said that new technology alone cannot fight crime. She acknowledged that the Metropolitan Police Department has built a better relationship with the community and partnered with organizations that have inevitably reduced crime in the nation’s capital.
Local organizations continue to provide year-round wraparound programs and services to youth and their families in the following areas: gang prevention/intervention/mediation; substance abuse and prevention; job readiness; summer jobs; family strengthening; cultural enrichment; life skills training; after school programs; re-entry programs; leadership coaching; health services; educational programs; college preparation; conflict transformation; abscondence programs and truancy programs.
These programs provide successful strategies, interventions and alternatives that preserve our young people, families and communities. In the movement of President Obama’s “Yes We Can” message to America, I believe that we will make a stronger difference in our communities when we are unified towards a common goal.
As an elder I know that our youth are constantly looking for a way to succeed, survive and live to see past their 21st birthday. I see some trying to find solutions through spiritual and cultural awakenings – wearing dashikis and kufis and thinking it’s cool to “be smart and look smart,” while others attend after school programs for guidance and to avoid trouble.
By far, if the metropolitan area wants to continue to witness another 30 year decline in crime reduction, we must reach back into the community and partner with organizations, schools and businesses and provide programs that instill pride, education, employability skills training, parenting training, jobs and opportunity to those who might not ever get a chance succeed.
For more information on ACM go to: www.allianceofconcernedmen.com or e-mail: tyrone_acm@msn.com.
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