Youth Policy Institute is the only nonprofit in the country to have been awarded three signature Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives as well as a federal Promise Zone Designation.

Youth Policy Institute was awarded the Byrne Grant by the U.S. Department of Justice in September 2013. Only 14 Byrne Grants were awarded nationally.

The Los Angeles Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program (Byrne) goals are to reduce crimes that contribute to neighborhood disorder and increase public safety. Byrne also seeks to increase social cohesion through the revitalization of community “anchor points” and ultimately forge social ties through positive community interactions that elicit a sense of mutual trust and shared values.

To fulfill the Byrne goals, YPI will be guided by the theory of “collective efficacy,” that includes community engagement and police intervention to establish a critically important strong base for sustainability over the long-term. If individuals and neighbors improve their willingness to intervene, enhance their trust among each other and with the police and envision their communities as places where they can reside without fear of crime, then overall criminal activity will decrease.

YPI BYRNE PROGRAMS

Youth Neighborhood Justice Program

Hollywood and Pacoima

Trained volunteer youth mediators facilitate discussions between peers on school campuses and guide the restorative justice process.

Safe Passages in Hollywood

Joseph LeConte Middle School

Approximately 20 to 40 community resident volunteers are placed at strategic crosswalks before and after school to assist youth and their families. These volunteers are also trained on how to recognize and report on criminal activity.

Lemon Grove Park

Hollywood

Environmental design and safety improvements are being applied to the park in conjunction with community partners to re-establish the area as a neighborhood anchor point.

Neighborhood Prosecutor Program

Hollywood

The City Neighborhood Prosecutor will focus on crime and public safety problems that are being identified by YPI and area residents as specifically problematic in the Hollywood area of the Byrne program.

Improvements to Bradley Plaza & Van Nuys Blvd.

Pacoima

Pacoima Beautiful and the L.A. Department of Transportation are leading implementation efforts in development and improvements within the area. YPI will provide various programming efforts in support of these vitalization efforts.

Pacoima Public Safety Project

Pacoima

This project, led by the City Attorney’s Office, will focus efforts on environment risk-reduction initiatives for the Promise Neighborhood Schools.

For more information, contact:

Janet Ruiz
Public Safety and Community Justice Manager
[email protected]