| Youth and Gang Violence Assessment
Youth and Gang Violence Assessment
ASSESSMENT OF YOUTH AND GANG VIOLENCE IN COLUMBIA AND RICHLAND
COUNTY
In my 2007 State of the City Speech, I called for the creation of a comprehensive response initiative to address gang and youth violence in Columbia and Richland County. The first steps he outlined for this initiative were a complete assessment of these violence problems in the metro area and the formation of the Gang and Youth Violence Prevention Council that would serve as the steering committee for the comprehensive response plan. The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina and Benedict College were subsequently requested to conduct the assessment, and on May 15, 2007 the Columbia City Council approved the funding of this effort.
The overall goal of this assessment was to explore the nature, extent, and characteristics of gang and youth violence in the Columbia-Richland County metropolitan area. Additionally, we sought to identify past responses to youth violence by government, non-profit, and community organizations, along with the resources and abilities these groups may have for a future comprehensive response. In order to accomplish these goals, the assessment team gathered crime related data from various criminal justice agencies in the area, including information from the Columbia Police Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardons, and the joint 911 operations center for Columbia and Richland County. In addition, more than 100 individuals were interviewed, including criminal justice leaders and line-level personnel, community leaders, faith-based leaders, managers of community-based organizations, and school officials. Lastly, focus groups were conducted with community members from ten different communities across Columbia and Richland County.
As outlined below, the findings from the assessment cover three areas of inquiry. The first line of inquiry examines patterns and trends in youth and gang violence derived from a statistical and geographic analysis of official data provided to us by area criminal justice agencies. The second line of inquiry reports on interviews conducted with various key stakeholders in the community: criminal justice officials, school personnel, community leaders, and residents of communities with relatively high concentrations of violence. The third area of inquiry reviews service, faith-based, and community resources available to combat youth violence, as well as suggestions from these groups for how to improve the overall response to the problem.
The analysis of criminal justice data revealed that youths, defined as individuals 12 to
24 years of age, account for approximately 50% of violent crime in Columbia and Richland County, which is disproportionately high relative to their representation in the census population for the area. This relationship holds across both jurisdictions and over a five year time frame. In addition, the findings showed that a considerably higher percentage of youth suspects than non-youth suspects use firearms in violent crimes.
This pattern held across time, jurisdictions, crime type, and neighborhoods.
While the analysis of gang activity and violence has some limitations given the currently available data, it nonetheless provides some important insight into nature of this problem in the Columbia and Richland County area. First, the individuals identified as gang members by CPD and RCSD are disproportionately male, African American, and between the ages of 18 and 24. On the other hand, gang-involved suspects and victims in violent crimes were primarily between the ages of 16-19. Second, the use of firearms in gang-involved violent crimes is very high relative to their use in total violent crimes or even violent crime involving youth suspects. Third, it appears that many of the same gangs and gang members are active in both jurisdictions. Finally, the crimes identified as gang-involved in our analyses largely occurred in the same areas that registered high concentrations of overall youth violence.
Several themes emerged from extensive interviews with criminal justice personnel, community leaders, school officials, and community members. First, all groups shared the perspective that there has been an increase in gang activity in the area, specifically within the last few years. There were also common causes given for the increase.
Most notably, the interviewees shared the perspective that the primary causes are the lack of parental supervision and involvement, as well as the lack of opportunities and programs for youths in the area. The proposed solution to this problem was more after school, faith-based, and recreational programs for juveniles so they have a place to go with adult supervision where they are not intimidated by and pressured to join gangs.
Among the criminal justice personnel interviewed, all agreed there has been an increase in gang violence throughout the past several years, but they also noted there has been an increase in property and drug crimes as well. Criminal justice agencies have made attempts to combat this increase in gang and youth crime; however, this has proved difficult as individuals who are gang-involved tend to be more resistant to the programs and services offered by these agencies. In terms of the community leader perspective, they too have seen an increase in gang and youth violence and consider it to be a serious problem. Overall, they stated there is not enough being done to help these individuals, and all the community organizations need to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to help prevent youth from becoming involved in gangs to begin with.
Based on a detailed evaluation of existing models and programs designed to reduce youth and gang violence, a framework for a comprehensive response strategy in the Midlands is provided in the full report. As fully discussed in the assessment report, this research-based, comprehensive model offers the best hope for reducing youth and gang violence in Columbia and Richland County.
Innovista
Innovista is a place, a lifestyle, and a vision that is transforming Columbia into one of the most progressive urban environments in the Southeast. Innovista capitalizes on Columbia’s unique combination of assets and points to a bright future for the City and the Midlands.
The place is the downtown corridor between the University and the Congaree River. With an abundance of undeveloped space, the adjacent Statehouse grounds, Vista entertainment and shopping district, and historic Olympia neighborhood, Innovista will anchor a vibrant new urban neighborhood. The crown jewel will be a 74-acre waterfront park that will serve as the City’s gathering spot for recreation, entertainment and relaxation.
The lifestyle will be live-work-play where offices, residences, shopping, and the arts are comingled in a village setting. Innovista will offer an environmentally friendly and simpler lifestyle where residents can walk to work, the store, or out to eat. With less time in the car, families will have more time to enjoy the amenities of urban life together.
The vision is a knowledge district where world-class USC research leads to innovations that are commercialized by entrepreneurs, building wealth in the region. Innovista will transform Columbia’s economy by creating knowledge jobs paying above-average wages and attracting investment. It will also bring Columbia notoriety as we take our position as leaders in our areas of scientific research and development.
It could only happen here. The state capital, the state university, available in-town land, world-class research, progressive leadership and warm southern weather. Innovista is the future of Columbia.
For more information, please click here to take you to their website.
The City of Columbia recognizes the importance of accepting the lead role in the fight for Climate Protection. In doing so, there are many programs and initiatives underway focused on making a difference in Columbia and the surrounding area. These programs target three primary audiences: government agencies, the business community and citizens / residents of Columbia.
City Council approved a Climate Protection Action Plan in May of 2007. This plan was drafted by the Climate Protection Action Committee and adopted by City Council. The Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) is composed of
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, DHEC, Keeps the Midlands Beautiful, SONOCO, Richland County, Lexington County, Columbia Homebuilders Assoc., City Council appointees, city staff, and many others. The Climate Protection Action Plan is intended to be a guide for council, management and staff to use in the oversight and implementation of the daily responsibilities of the City. This plan is a comprehensive list of 65 action items identified as a means for reducing city generated emissions. A large portion of the plan will rely on the result of the energy audit. This audit will provide city government a tool to use in evaluating capital improvement projects that will result in significant energy savings. The results of this plan will help identify projects that are needed to reduce the City’s carbon footprint.
The City has witnessed much success in efforts geared towards the business community. Planning is well underway for the second annual Green is Good for Business Conference, scheduled for October 7 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. In addition, the City is proud of the two dozen plus members of the Green Business Member Program and the leadership role they have accepted in educating and encouraging other businesses to protect our environment. Green Business Boot Camps will continue to be scheduled periodically to help guide interested businesses through the process of becoming members of the program and recognize them for the efforts they are taking for the future of Columbia.
The City, through the CPAC committee recently reached out to the neighborhoods regarding the climate protection initiative. This effort is in the early stages of development is certain to bring about exciting opportunities for individual and neighborhood involvement. There will be many programs planned for the future that will be geared for the individual wanting to make a difference.
The City of Columbia has a long standing history of being environmentally friendly. Efforts and programs were in place well before Climate Protection became a hot issue. It has however, became increasingly important to collaborate with others in the region to ensure all parties involved recognize the emphasis that must be placed on this issue and the need to work together as part of a team in addressing Climate Protection. This is a subject that demands immediate and well planned action and impacts not only our future, but the future of all generations to come.
For more information please call (803) 545-3780 or visit their website by clicking here.
Homelessness impacts everyone. The costs of homelessness in our community includes direct public and private costs such as the cost of shelter operations, substance abuse and mental health services, jailing homeless persons for minor offenses, emergency rooms visits, and hospitalizations. Indirect costs of lost of worker productivity, increased medical costs due to poorer overall healthcare, and loss of economic development due to the perception of homeless issues are also costs associated with homelessness. However, there are many direct costs that are not generally considered such as the costs of cleaning and removing bedding from downtown parking garages, public parks, and other public areas in the downtown, and costs associated with staff of various organizations such as the City Center Partnership that work with safety and cleaning issues in the downtown area.
The City’s Housing First program is designed to address the reduction of many of these costs. The City requested proposals from organizations and agencies that were experienced in the provision of housing and supportive services for homeless individuals and selected USC-Dept. of Medicine, Office of Supportive Housing working in partnership with The Columbia Housing Authority. Funds were made available to be used to lease and operate approximately 25 housing units for chronically homeless individuals for a three-year period that includes case management and linkage to a full range of supportive services. The specific focus of this funding is to provide supportive housing for the chronically homeless in conjunction with currently existing homeless resources. A chronically homeless individual is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition (diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability, or chronic physical illness or disability) who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, or who has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. The program is designed to increase efficiency and coordination of existing services in the community, such as outreach, emergency sheltering, healthcare, and alcohol/drug treatment.
The Housing First model has been proven in other localities to be less costly overall than providing services to the homeless on the street or in a shelter. Housing First is defined as permanent supportive housing that has a low threshold for access for chronically homeless individuals who are high utilizers of the criminal justice, mental health, and health care systems. Use of supportive services is strongly encouraged, but compliance is not a condition of tenancy. However, a rental agreement including the rights and responsibilities of tenancy is signed by the tenant. Additionally, the Housing First approach can increase the effectiveness of services provided to the homeless and increase the rate and length of housing stability for formerly homeless residents.
Please click here for more information.
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