Watch out! Help out!

Back to school . . .

Student patrols, tip boxes, educational campaigns . . . Keep your school safe with Youth Crime Watch. How to start.

1. Crime reporting
2. Youth patrols and safety escorts
3. Conflict resolution
4. Peer mediation and counseling
5. Action projects

NEW site standards adopted July 2008 update the training requirement. Please review the standards.

Notice: We have discontinued operations in our DC office and Mid-Atlantic Expansion Center. All enquiries from DC, Virginia and Maryland will be handled by our national office in Miami. Thanks for understanding.

Congratulations to our 2008 Casey Award winners.

This month YCWA's Youth Spotlight shines on Jessica Gabriele Ricardo of the JCC program in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Jessica has been an active student leader in her JCC program. Her recent actions against a local gang brought her to our attention.

The conference photo gallery is online: See pictures from our 2008 gathering in Miami. [See also 2009 conference]

Barrington Irving - the youngest person to fly solo around the world - spoke at YCWA's national conference in Miami, FL, March 26-29, 2008.

YCW board member Doug Hughes receives Martin Luther King award.

Congressman Allen Boyd accepted YCWA's National Champion of Youth Award in a special ceremony January 11 at the Swift Creek Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida.

Homeland Security
How your watch fits in.

Other sources

A study (May 2008) by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Dept. of Education highlights the importance of crime reporting. Check it out (PDF): Prior Knowledge of Potential School-based Violence: Information Students learn May Prevent a Targeted Attack.

U.S. Dept of Education Grants

Stop snitchin'? Watch the 60 Minutes report on the code of silence that is killing our most desperate communities.

The COPS office at USDOJ has a nice study of school-based crime prevention programs, including Youth Crime Watch.

Check out the School Violence Fact Sheet (PDF) from the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center.

Support Youth Crime Watch of America in the Combined Federal Campaign. Designate #12539

"Our house is your house." Palm Beach couple gives their home to Youth Crime Watch.

Stone Mountain, GA: Spotlight on the Youth Crime Watch group at Stone Mountain Middle School.

Congratulations to our finalists in the ACT OUT LOUD campaign for safe teen driving. Warriors Crime Watch produced a video to discourage drunk driving on prom night. Okeechobee Crime Watch promoted safe driving in their school and community. Great work!

Broward County, FL, public schools: We really like Broward County's crime watchin' radio spots.

Grayson, KY: East Carter High School launches its crime watch with a core group of 22.

Opa-Locka, FL: Youth Crime Watch symposium draws applause in Florida.

Montgomery, AL: The kids at Bellingrath Jr. High have turned their school around. Read the Bellingrath success story!

YCWA news, Fall 2007 (PDF 1.2MB).

International roundup

Youth Crime Watch of Burundi launched its operations with outreach to scout organizations in the early summer.

Senegal has kicked off its Youth Crime Watch program with a campaign to help street children.

Jamaica's YCW program has actively been building community in Flankers. The group also hosted a delegation from England. See the BATH in Jamaica trip log.

JCC Brazil collects food and clothing for the poor.

YCW Nigeria has expanded operations in the Niger-Delta region and launched their own website.

YCW Zambia works to help children in the justice system.

YCW South Africa reaches out to the disabled.

A three-man delegation from YCW Sierra Leone braved the 300-mile journey on mud roads to bring crime prevention to Kailahun.

» international programs