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Steps to Achieve this Part of Gayle's Plan

3. Prevention of Violence and Crime

The roots of Richmond’s violence run deep. Richmond’s chronic street violence is largely drug- and/or gang-related. This is not the only type of violence that exists in Richmond, but the price in young lives is unbearable and must no longer be tolerated. Richmond must start building the way out of the cycle. Yes, the availability of drugs to be traded and the use of guns to deal with conflict are key causal factors. Yet even deeper roots lie in our decimated educational system and a lack of jobs, leading to an ongoing vicious cycle of deprivation, desperation and anger, and erupting too often in senseless acts of violence on our streets.

As mayor, I will:
Recognize the institutional causes of violence, the hopelessness, the despair and
the lack of skills, including social skills, needed to earn a living and to deal with the ensuing
frustrations. I will understand and address the deep roots of Richmond’s violence. I will
promote locally the creation of a peaceful and just society, based on fairness, respect and
understanding.
Acknowledge, adhere and promote the principles of Community Policing (CP),
adopted intheory by the City but hardly implemented at all. I will encourage and support the
Chief of Police in concrete implementation of policies that reflect these principles. I will
reinvigorate the citizens committee which promoted the adoption of these principles by the
City and will raise their status to a CP Commission.
Cut Richmond’s street violence in half by 2010. The average number of street homicides
and violent crime will be reduced by half by the year 2010.
Create the Richmond Youth Corps (RYC). Up to 1,000 youth (<21), residing in the areas
of the city with the highest incidence of street violence, will be able to work up to 10 hours
a week and throughout the year in many areas of community need under the leadership of
mentors from these Richmond neighborhoods. This program will be funded by revenue
originating from the elimination of the unfair Utility Users Tax cap (Chevron), as well as
other sources. The youth and their mentors will be hired and paid as union public works
employees.
Reduce local high school drop-out rate by 50% by year 2010: High School enrollment
will be required for participation in the Richmond Youth Corps. Parents and neighbors will be
encouraged and supported to converge into groups supporting high school completion
and graduation.
Create the Richmond Goes to College Program to double by year 2010 the number of
Richmond residents graduating from local high schools who enter college.
Create a Richmond Mentoring Center for young parolees who were Richmond residents
at the time of their incarceration. If we want people who served their time to be responsible
residents, there needs to be a time and place for transition as well as guidance, social
orientation, and life skills training for concrete job opportunities.
Coordinate existing resources and identify new resources from federal, state, local,
and regional. We need to maximize funding streams.
Promote solutions that address long-term recidivism: Promote support groups, mental
health counseling services, education opportunities and supportive housing.
Regionalize the solution because there is strength in numbers. We cannot solve street
violence without a comprehensive regional plan that is inclusive of all East Bay
municipalities, cities, and counties.

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