Accountability,
Mentoring & Enforcement
Problem-Solving in Public Housing
Providence Police Department
2012 Herman Goldstein Award Finalist
•
Presenters
Lieutenant Dean Isabella
Providence Police Department
Jim Baum
Special Assistant
Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General
Sorrel Devine
Director of Resident Services
Providence Housing Authority
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
Targeted Housing Developments
Manton Heights
Hartford Park
2,260 people live in 81
buildings
98% residents extremely
low income
93% households headed by
women – many single
mothers
48% residents under age 18
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
Background
Providence man, 26,
dies after being shot in
head
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A man shot
at the Manton Heights housing
projects late Wednesday night has
died from his injuries...
Man shot outside his
home in Providence's
Manton Heights
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The police are
investigating a shooting at the
Manton Heights housing projects
around midnight Friday…
Providence shooting victim now
accused of shooting at couple
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A young man shot four
years ago was arraigned Monday on charges of
shooting at a couple in South Providence…
Conflict between “Hartford
Soldiers” and “Manton” gangs
goes back 30 years
65% of all Part 1 & 2 crimes on
PHA property citywide occur at
Manton and Hartford
Heavy recruitment of juveniles to
join gangs and perpetrate
violence
Single moms feel powerless,
afraid for their kids
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
SCANNING: Opportunity in 2006
Ongoing gang activity including violence in 2005-2006
Urgency to try new strategies driven by loss of resources
for positive youth activities
Other areas of the neighborhood improving – will Hartford
& Manton hold broader community development back?
Group problem-solving
championed by new District 5
Lieutenant
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
SCANNING
Team gathers and examines…
Crime data from District 5, Gang Unit, other
Intelligence held by D.5 patrol officers, Public Housing Unit
officers, PHA Housing Management and Resident Services
staff
Interviews with residents
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ANALYSIS: Who was involved?
“Hartford vs. Manton…”
Majority of violent incidents are inter-gang
Gangs prey on juveniles…
Violence largely perpetrated by youth, intentionally
recruited by older gang members due to juvenile status
Worst offenders are not residents…
Family members or associates of residents perpetrate
crimes while visiting or living in the properties illegally
Most residents want a safer environment…
Young, single mothers dislike crime conditions but feel out
of control – very concerned about gang recruitment
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ANALYSIS: What were the harms?
High risk of injury or
victimization stemming
from crossdevelopment conflicts
Fear and stress
reported by
residents
Youth embattled –
cross-development
rivalry and gang
recruitment puts every
kid at risk
High public costs $11.7 million
associated with Part
1 crime in Hartford &
Manton in 2005-06*
Improvement of
broader community
threatened by
negative perceptions
*See Rand Center on Quality Policing, Occasional Paper 279. Hidden in Plain Sight: What Cost of Crime
Research Can Tell Us About Investing in Police.
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ANALYSIS: Why were previous responses ineffective?
Investigations hindered by lack of communitypolice cooperation…
Residents reluctant to report due to fear, and sense of
separation between community and police
Minimal PPD-PHA collaboration…
Little structure in place for PPD officers and PHA Housing
Managers to examine problems (not incidents) together
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Goals
1. Keep non-resident gang members out.
2. Help residents communicate and uphold their own high
standards for behavior and safety, including strengthening
cooperation with PPD.
3. Provide alternative activities and leadership development
for youth and support for their parents to break the
pipeline of gang recruitment.
4. Break down the rivalry between the developments to
address a long-term source of crime in the properties and
the surrounding community.
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Resident Lease Education and Enforcement
 Residents informed of rules
about trespassing and
visitors at joint PHA-PPD
meetings (2007)
 “No Trespass” orders issued
against gang members
known to visit or reside
illegally in the properties
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Enforcement and Maintenance
 “No Trespass” orders
enforced by PPD with
resident and PHA help
 AGO flags
Manton/Hartford cases
for prosecutors and
courts
 PHA issues swift warnings
to residents allowing
gang members on the
properties
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Youth Engagement
Prevention & Intervention Programs
Boys & Girls Club of Providence
Youth Safe Haven (YSH)
Youth Safe Haven mentoring program in
Providence targets at-risk children
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Residents of the Manton, Silver
Lake, Hartford and Olneyville neighborhoods are being
invited to a “town hall meeting” in the Hartford Park
housing project, part of an anticrime initiative…
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Youth Engagement
Improved Youth/Police Relations
Youth & Police Initiative (YPI)
Youth Leadership Academy (YLA)
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
RESPONSE: Support for Parents
Crisis Intervention, Individual
and Family Counseling
Parenting Workshops
Individual and Group Mentoring
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
No homicides in either property 2007 - 2011
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
Major drop in crime perpetrated by juveniles
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
Major drop in overall crime
Assaults down 62%
Simple assaults down 27%
Weapons offenses down 44%
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
No PHA evictions during postintervention period due to crimerelated lease terms
Efforts to educate and engage residents
in “self-policing” are effective
Trespassing violations now uncommon
Cost of crime in Manton/Hartford
significantly reduced
Estimated savings of $547,000 in 2011
compared to 2005
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
Hundreds of residents benefit from positive
programming
 Youth and adults learn leadership and problem-solving skills
 Programs engage youth at hours when
most conflicts used to occur
 Residents of both developments interact peacefully at events
Residents cooperate more
readily with police
 Community policing
combined with youth-police
programs forge bonds
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
ASSESSMENT
Partnerships in place to take on future challenges
 PPD-PHA joint problem-solving is now the norm
 Other partners engaged in achieving shared goals
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012
•
Questions
Accountability, Mentoring &
Enforcement
Problem-solving in Public Housing
Providence Police Department
2012 Herman Goldstein Award Finalist
Providence Police Department – Herman Goldstein Award Finalist 2012