Smart Link of the Day: Walking the Smart Talk

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris is talking our language of ‘smart’. Okay, so maybe she’s a little bit ahead of us…. she has already written a book “Smart on Crime“, and has a state-wide Smart on Crime Transition Team to assist her with the monumental task of overhauling California’s approach to crime and crime prevention.

More specifically, Harris recently outlined her Office’s philosophy and approach to dealing with gang problems in many of California’s major cities. The language of ‘smart’ is easy to find.

• solutions to issues of gang violence can be learned from public health approaches
• gang issues need to be addressed through with a combination of prevention, intervention and enforcement
• issues must be addressed consistently across regions rather than each city working in isolation
• schools and education can play a major role in reducing risk factors for youth
• rely on evidence-based intervention programs to help youth exit gangs when they are ready

Here in the Region of Waterloo we also have a ‘smart’ approach to addressing the issue of youth in our community who are gang involved at risk joining a gang. inREACH is operating locally to provide youth with one-on-one support, group work, housing support, employment counselling, addictions support and recreational activities. inREACH works as a collaborative of community agencies and schools wholly invested in supporting the success of young people wanting to make a change.

We all benefit when this happens.

Smart on crime, indeed.