Authorizing City Council's Committee of the Whole to hold public hearings investigating Philadelphia's funding, the success and the feasibility of expanding evidence-based violence prevention programs.

WHEREAS, Evidence-based violence prevention programs are youth programs that have undergone independent testing and demonstrated success in helping prevent violent behavior; and

WHEREAS, The costs of evidence-based violence prevention programs appear to be less than the long-term costs of prison, health care and long-term disability; and

WHEREAS, According to the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, eleven proven programs, contained in “Blueprints for Violence Prevention,” are: Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America; the Nurse Family Partnership; Multisystemic Therapy; Life Skills Training; Incredible Years Series; Project Towards; Functional Family Therapy; Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care; Midwestern Prevention Project; Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS); and Olweus Bullying Prevention Program; and

WHEREAS, It appears that only five of these programs are used in the City and most are grossly under funded despite their proven effectiveness and the availability of state funding totaling $6 million annually; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia is continuing to see sharp increases in violent crime. Despite various efforts by the police to reduce violence including surveillance cameras, additional police, conflict resolution requirements, truancy and curfew crackdowns and Operation Safer Streets, no program enjoyed overwhelming success; and

WHEREAS, City Council and the Mayor have continued to propose meaningful legislation that attacks firearm proliferation in the City only to by stymied on the State level. With few other options open to the City, alternative methods must be found; now therefore

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

Authorizes City Council’s Committee of the Whole to hold public hearings investigating Philadelphia’s funding, the success and the feasibility of expanding evidence-based violence prevention programs.

End