Violence Prevention Program

Violence Prevention Program

Community Development administers the Youth Violence Prevention (VP) Program funded from taxes generated in unincorporated Pierce County for criminal justice purposes.

Pierce County's Youth VP Program is dedicated to the long-term prevention, elimination, and reduction of violent behavior(s), by or among children and youth residing in unincorporated Pierce County. Funded VP programs may include services directed at individual skill development, community involvement and leadership, parenting and peer influence, and other strategies. Programs may include family and family needs if the program activities include reducing or eliminating violent behavior(s) for both the individual and family members. The programs goals and objectives MUST in some direct and demonstrable manner, result in the elimination or reduction of violence and violent behaviors.

Organizations requesting funding must be able to provide evidence that their proposed VP program(s) can meet the priorities described below as established by Ordinance 2001-82:

• Serve unincorporated areas. Taxes to support the Violence Prevention program are criminal justice sales tax revenue collected exclusively in unincorporated areas of Pierce County, and not in any of the cities and towns that are located within the County. Accordingly, programs requesting funding should be targeted towards youth who reside in unincorporated Pierce County.
• Sustainability. Programs to be funded should create a long-term reduction or elimination of a violent situation or violent behavior(s), not just a transitory benefit while an individual or family is participating in the program.
• Cooperative efforts. Programs to be funded should develop and encourage cooperation and coordination between agencies, municipalities and clients.
• Focus. The focus of programs should be on the prevention or elimination of violent behavior in, among, or towards children and youth. If the violence involves the family, or if the family needs to be involved in the reduction or elimination of violent activities, then other family members should be included in the program.
• Demonstrability. Programs applying for Violence Prevention funding must be able to demonstrate in a clear and concise manner that the program is accomplishing the goals and objectives it ahs established for itself, and specifically, the elimination or reduction of violence or violent behaviors.
• Best Practice. Applications based on programs identified as best practices in another jurisdiction should identify that jurisdiction, specify when the program was identified as a best practice, and identify who determined it was a best practice.