Cash to Criminals/Gang Members - Advance Peace Program

As a way to combat gun violence Richmond CA has been using the program "Advance Peace" where criminals/gang members are paid a stipend (some say $700 other's say as much as $1,300) a month to not engage in gun violence. This is up in Stockton and Sacramento right now to be implemented as well. It is said to be an evidence based program. Participants are required to go through "intensive case management".

Obviously, this is controversial. Some of the media is reporting the funds will come from city/county funds. Others state funding is all private donations.

www.advancepeace.org

Sacramento moves forward on controversial $1.5M approach to prevent gun violence
Mentors use one-on-one cognitive behavioral therapy, life coaching and a stipend of up to $1000 a month for nine months to help move “fellows” away from violence

Sep 6, 2017
By PoliceOne Staff

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a deadly shooting related to gang-supported rappers, Sacramento has voted to move forward on a controversial gun-violence prevention program targeting those who are suspected of committing most of the violence in the city.

The city council unanimously approved a three-year, $1.5 million contract for Advance Peace on Aug. 29, the Sacramento Bee reported.

The controversial program would target nearly 50 young men, who police and city officials believe are responsible for the gun violence in the city, .

In the program, mentors help recruit “fellows” to the 18-month program. They use one-on-one behavioral therapy, life coaching and a monthly stipend of up to $1000 for nine months to help move the fellows away from violence.

The program is credited with significantly reducing gun crime in Richmond, where the program began, but has been criticized for giving stipends to those who reach goals. But Sacramento police and city officials told the publication there’s no better time to implement the program. Police are currently investigating five homicides this year that may be gang related. Thirteen people total have died in 2017 from gunshot wounds in the city.

“We don’t have a moment to wait here,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said. “It’s another shooting on Sunday in Meadowview involving this feud over who gets credit for writing music. On the one hand it’s baffling, but on the other hand it’s real.”

Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said the proposal was lacking in details and “in my opinion leaves the city of Sacramento completely vulnerable to being taken advantage of.” She said there is nothing that requires Advance Peace to work directly with police departments, school districts or local activists. It does not explicitly state if outreach will happen in three neighborhoods that are heavily impacted by violent crime.

Another concern is that the contract doesn’t require the program to match the city’s financial investment with its own money. The mayor and others said Advance Peace will match the city’s money.

Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn said he supports the program as a “tool” in fighting gun crimes, but current enforcement and community intervention programs are needed as well. He believes monitoring the program and obtaining proof of results would be essential to seeing how successful it is.

A two-thirds approval will be required by Council members because the vote involves a contract and has not had the required 10-day notice.

https://www.cityofsacramento.org/City-Manager/Gang-Prevention-and-Intervention/Advance-Peace

STOCKTON, Calif. (KCRA) — Updated: 7:41 PM PDT Jul 6, 201

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs condemned the violence in the city over the weekend and is considering a couple different ways to combat crime, including one that pays people not to commit crimes.

There were four homicides in Stockton between Monday and Wednesday night, bringing the total number of killings in the city to more than 24.

Tubbs released a statement Wednesday night after the string of violence.

"All life is sacred and even one homicide is too many ... overall, crime continues to trend downward but we must remain vigilant," Tubbs said.

The city is exploring a couple options in the hopes of curbing the number of violent crimes in the city.

The first option is out of Detroit called Project Greenlight. In this situation, live cameras would be set up inside and outside of businesses in Stockton, and the cameras would be monitored in real-time from the police headquarters.

The second option out of the Bay Area is more controversial. Richmond's Advance Peace uses taxpayer dollars to pay men with firearm history to not shoot guns.

In exchange, the men can participate in adult fellowship, mentorships and job opportunity programs.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Tubbs explained Stockton's version of Advance Peace would not exclusively use taxpayer dollars.

"Before implementing a program like Advance Peace, I would seek philanthropic dollars and not general funds," Tubbs said in the post. "This program has shown success in reducing violent crime. This is just one suggested approached towards improving public safety."

While the program has shown some success at decreasing violence in Richmond, it's unclear how sustainable to program can be in Stockton.

"I am always looking for solutions and researching innovative ways and to help curb crime in our city," Tubbs said in Thursday's post. "Making Stockton safer is a key priority for me as your mayor."


http://www.kcra.com/article/stockton-program-would-pay-men-not-to-shoot-each-other/10267025

(while the links/stories are months old - this is all over the local news right now)

Thoughts??

 

Interesting. Not really sure how to get about this. It seems like a temporary fix because how long does this program last. What happens when that financial incentives are not longer there?

 

One article I saw said 9 months. I think the idea is with the "intensive case management" (I'd really like to know what that actually entails) they will have more options.

 

See what they're willing to do for mexican gangbangers??

 

It's just another way to pay illegal immigrants.