New program aims to curb crime in Providence
By: Samantha Lavien
Twitter: @SLavienABC6
As we head into the warmer months typically associated with a higher crime rate, the Providence Non-Violence Institute says they’re working on a few new strategies aimed at curbing crime this year.
The institute says they’ve compiled a list of roughly 50 young people ages 17 to 24 that they say are most at risk of violence. They say this year they’re targeting this group specifically, hoping it will make a difference.
“We are trying to focus on that small percentage of people that are at risk to some violence and that’s not something that we usually did in the past,” said Sal Monteiro the director of training at the institute.
Monteiro says the goal is to engage these men and women giving them more focus and responsibility.
“We have 10 of them right now in our jobs program. Each cycle we are going to do another 10 and another 10,” said Monteiro.
Monteiro says the institute is also working to build up relationships between police and at risk youth members.
“Just with these last two weeks, we’ve have state troopers come in, we’ve had the chief of police come in to sit down with a group of young kids that we’ve been working with,” said Monteiro.
This week, the city saw its first two murders of the year in a matter of 48 hours. Monteiro says he wants to send a message that the senseless killing needs to stop
“It effects all of us whether you live in this community of not, our young kids want to feel safe,” said Monteiro.
No arrests have been made in either of the murders from this week.
(C) WLNE 2015
