country programs
Your Youth Crime Watch program will need a plan for covering everyday materials and event expenses.
Law enforcement agencies, local groups, and private businesses may be a source of sponsorship for Youth Crime Watch goodies such as T-shirts and membership cards.
The school also can be a major source of materials if various other departments such as the Art Department or Drama club are involved.
Grants are available through the Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinators and other funding sources such as the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Many law enforcement agencies will come to schools to educate the students about crime, drugs and violence prevention. Many of these agencies make presentations using their K-9 Unit or S.W.A.T. unit to intrigue and educate younger students. It is important that the relationship between law enforcement officials and the students be built at the elementary school level. This familiarity and comfort with law enforcement will remain with them as they move to middle and high school where peer pressure, especially negative peer pressure, becomes more influential.
Although secondary schools may have some resources at their disposal, supplemental funding is important for YCW clubs. Besides Youth Crime Watch T-shirts, jackets and radios, funds will be needed for local field trips and conferences such as the National Youth Crime Prevention Conference, where youth from across the United States and other countries gather to find solutions to the common problems they face. Law enforcement agencies and businesses may provide funding for trips or other activities as neighborhood and graffiti clean-ups, and other community service projects that require material.