‘Partners in Youth Crime … Prevention’, a manual produced by Ashfield City Council in NSW, and distributed to all Councils in the State, has earned high praise.
“The manual has practical and applicable solutions to youth crime that Councils can easily implement,” said Mayor Mark Bonanno. “It recognises that sustainable crime prevention occurs at the strategic planning level and that Councils need to develop closer partnerships with other agencies, such as the police.”
Ashfield produced the manual in conjunction with other Councils in the Inner Metropolitan Regional Organisation of Councils (IMROC).
“We did not want to develop solutions for our area which merely shifted the problem on to other places,” said Community Services Manager, Gerard Howard.
Partners in the Strategy include the police, the Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and State Government bodies. This year Council is targeting schools as a key means of reaching young people with the message.
“I believe that positive results for young people can be achieved when government and non government agencies work together,” Mayor Mark Bonnano said. “Local Government has a very important role to play at the grassroots level.”
Suggestions to tackle the problem include incorporating urban design principles into planning. This includes not approving large blank walls to attract graffiti, eliminating alcoves or other potential hiding places and providing adequate street lighting.
Ashfield itself has introduced a series of seminars to help parents understand risk taking behaviour in their teenage children and how to develop ways of building their self esteem. It has also set up a program of wall murals supervised by an artist which encourages teenagers to create artistic murals.
“Both these programs have received positive feedback from the community,” Gerard Howard said.
For further information contact Gerard Howard, telephone (02) 9797 0222.
