Catching Them Early :: essays papers

undercover work Them Early Richmond, California, is a predominately low-income city across the bay from San Francisco. In some(a) of its hard-pressed neighborhoods, children are at high risk of lot involvement, dose abuse, and violence and puerile pregnancy. But instead of relying only on legal philosophy enforcement agencies to keep children safe, the people of Richmond have taken matters into their own hands. lodge agencies and schools are working together to break the cycle of poverty and violence. detection Them Early profiles the extraordinary efforts of Richmonds Lincoln Elementary School to ensure a bright future for its children. Ninety-nine percent of the kids attending Lincoln shift for federal meal subsidies many have family members in a gang. So the school makes special efforts, including the hiring of outreach workers, to provide the kind of digest kids need to cheque in class and do well. Teenagers in Richmond find support at Families Uni tes, an unusual familiarity health organization that has made nuisance prevention part of its mission. Families Unites and its caseworkers like outreach worker Gonzalo Rucobo, who was himself once a gang member, help kids stay out of gangs and avoid conflicts that can lead to violence. detecting Them Early observes one teenagers struggle to remove himself from gang violence without estrange his old friends. Two of my friends, he says, have got shot down, and they were not banging anymore. Im skillful trying to stay out of trouble. I dont say Im lucky until in all likelihood ten years from now. You never know whos going to come up behind you. Catching Them Early also explores how Richmond is responding to the growing angle of dip of teenage girls to rick involved in violence and crime. Richmond targets teen mothers, providing them with training in child rearing and help in anticipating the difficulties they impart encounter, and makes a special effort through programs like Head step to the fore to make sure that young children get the support they need to become successful students. Richmond is inspiring, says series writer/producer Roger Grief, because its a community under pressure that is challenging its youth crime problem without relying altogether on cops, courts, and corrections.