HANDBOOK ON CRIME PREvENTION GUIDELINES: MAKING THEM wORK
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CHAPTER vI
compendium of best practices for prevention and rehabilitation for youth
involved in violence in the region.
" InElSalvador,aseriesofyouthgang-preventionprojectshasbeendeveloped
in partnership with civil society by the National Council for Public Security.
These have included a rehabilitation farm school for persons aged 12 to 25,
a tattoo removal project and in-prison rehabilitation programmes.
" NICROisanationalnon-governmentalorganizationinSouthAfricaproviding
diversion services for children in all provinces through five programmes: the
Youth Empowerment Scheme life skills programme; a Pre-Trial Community
Service programme; a victim-offender mediation programme; family group
conferencing;and"thejourney",lifeskillsprogrammeforchildrenathighrisk.
Theorganizationhasbeenverysuccessfulinreintegratingchildren,preventing
offending and diverting cases from the justice system. It handles more than
10,000 cases each year (www.nicro.org.za).
" Khulisa works in correctional facilities and on diversion programmes, as well
as with schools, victims and the community. It runs a series of reintegration
initiativessuchastheYoungOffenderReintegrationProgramme,andtheMake
It Better Programme (www.khulisaservices.co.za).
A review of the characteristics of effective projects concerned with youth gang
violence in Central America and the United States highlights the importance of
comprehensive and balanced approaches that are community-based and include
prevention,intervention,rehabilitationandlawenforcement.Effectiveprojectsinvolve
cooperation with schools, local organizations, faith groups and community
networks.
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D . Private sector involvement
The private sector is a major component of most societies, and is as much a
stakeholder as other sectors of civil society, including local non-profit organizations.
Businesses, factories and commercial premises can be significantly affected by high
levelsofcrimeandviolenceinneighbourhoodsandcities,sothatworkingtoreduce
crimeisintheirinterests.Theprivatesectorinturnprovidesemploymentandhelps
to contribute to the social and economic progress of communities. Businesses can
bring innovation, resources and skills to local communities. (See the website of the
UniversityCollegeLondonJillDandoInstituteofCrimeScience,www.jdi.ucl.ac.uk.)
Prevention initiatives may be designed to reduce problems of crime associated with
business, commercial and industrial areas. Many national Governments and cities
areincreasinglyworkingwiththebusinesssectortoimprovesecurityinthoseareas.
What is important, however, is to ensure that such initiatives do not perpetuate
exclusionary practices, as discussed in chapterV.
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Washington Office on LatinAmerica,
Daring to Care: Community-Based Responses (see footnote 100).