The Youth PROMISE Act

Dear Friends,

Gangs have plagued Black communities across the country for decades,
but we've seen few large-scale efforts that go to the root of the
problem. Thanks to Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia, that could
change. Now he needs our support.

The Youth PROMISE Act, Scott's bill, focuses on giving young people
real alternatives to gangs, instead of locking them up and throwing
them into a system that often turns them into hardened criminals.

The bill has some support in Congress, but a strong show of support
from everyday people like us will help make sure that it passes.
That's why I've joined ColorOfChange.org in asking my senators and
representative to support the Youth PROMISE Act. Will you? It only
takes a few seconds:

http://www.colorofchange.org/promise/?id=2315-624347

It's clear that the current national strategy to combat gang
participation isn't working.[1] Every day more young people are
thrown into jail instead of being given opportunities to turn their
lives around. It does very little to solve the problem of gangs, and
it compounds the hopelessness that leads to participation in gangs in
the first place.

The Youth PROMISE (Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring,
Intervention, Support and Education) Act would change this by
providing young people with critical support and opportunities to
succeed so they'll see that they have options that don't involve
joining a gang.

The Youth PROMISE Act would give communities greater access to a range
of youth intervention methods with a record of success -- like
mentoring and after-school programs -- and let those communities
decide which practices are best suited for their specific needs. It
would give communities funding to hire police officers specially
trained to deal with youth. And it would provide crucial mental
health services to young people who need them.[2]

By signing on in support, you'll join dozens of national civic groups,
religious denominations, justice organizations, and political leaders
who realize that the kind of change offered by the Youth PROMISE Act
is long overdue. Even law enforcement officials are coming to the
conclusion that we can't simply arrest our way out of this
problem.[3]

Now it's our turn. Please join me by telling your representative and
senators to give our youth the support they need to succeed. And when
you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/promise/?id=2315-624347

Thank you.

cindy adrienne quashie

References

1. http://tinyurl.com/4ugc7q
2. Same as 1.
3. Same as 1.