Youth Violence Prevention

Youth Violence Prevention

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing those programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. The Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy for the Eastern District of Tennessee is to develop and implement a comprehensive program to reduce violent gun crime. This comprehensive approach will build on existing programs and partnerships and also identify and implement innovative and diverse new programs in law enforcement, education, social services, media, and outreach. The Johnson City Police Bureau has contracted East Tennessee State University’s Center for Community Outreach to implement the following proactive educational interventions. A multi-media, computer based intervention, SMARTteam (Students Managing Anger and Resolution Together). Available at local neighborhoods centers and available at multiple sites via a mobile police substation. A hands-on technology/education component “Life through My Eyes”, featuring youth-directed audiovisual production and interviews of peers and community agents focusing on topics such as bullying, school violence, victim’s experiences and proposed solutions.

SMARTteam. Today’s teenagers face risks like those teens a generation ago faced, but the risks today are far greater. The prevalence of violence and conflict, in combination with drugs, lethal diseases, and stressful day-to-day living in a transient and fast-paced world, threaten to overwhelm today’s adolescents. All teens face great challenges on their path to adulthood in the 21^st century. Understanding strategies for reducing and managing anger, conflict, and negative emotional feelings and reactions can improve communication with others and establish a lifetime of personal and social well-being. SMARTteam is a multimedia, universal prevention program that helps students learn to resolve conflicts and manage anger through games, decision-making aids, behavioral change strategies, interactive interviewing and other dynamic classroom activities. SMARTteam is for every student. The activities are based on research efforts at the University of Indiana that targeted all groups and populations of students. The focus in SMARTteam is on three categories of skills that contribute to good self-esteem, successful social relationships, and a sense of well-being.

Anger Replacement Therapy-development of prosocial behaviors such as negotiating differences; responding effectively to teasing, mistakes, rejection, or anger; and helping others.
Dispute resolution skills-teaching students negotiation and compromise to resolve conflicts.
Perspective Taking-addressing students’ abilities to accurately identify other people’s feelings and recognize that they may be different from personal ones.

For more information contact Flora Craig at (423) 232-5536 or via e-mail.