Violence Prevention
Council:

Action Planning
Current Status of Vio/enoe Rre'irention Committees

Santa Clara County
Violence Prevention Council

A work:in progress

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Purpose of this Report

Context of Violence

The November 6, 1997, conference yielded valuable input about violence in general, the planning
process, context, and various other areas. This report will reflect those changes.
Present Draft Plans

The Violence Prevention Council designated four committees to identify and develop a
countywide Violence Prevention Action Plan: Community Assessment & Data; Policy;
Community Based Initiatives; and Public Awareness & Education. This report presents each
committee’s draft action plan that will be further refined before outreach into the community for
input.
Recommend Next Steps

This report will also provide recommendations for receiving input on the Violence Prevention
Council’s action plan from various segments ofthe community; evaluation plans; as well as
presenting the Council’s work and next step recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for
approval.

2

1. The Violence Prevention Council

4

Committee Reports
2. Community Assessment & Data Committee

■ ■ ■ ■

3. Policy Committee

13

4. Community Based Initiatives Committee

19

5. Public Awareness & Education Committee .... 23

6. Recommendations for Next Steps

3

1
The Violence Prevention Council
Mission & Founding Rrincipies
The mission ofthe Violence Prevention Council is to prevent violence and its related injury,

psychological trauma, death, disability and crime through the implementation of multiple
levels of prevention and intervention and through collaborative county-wide action in order to
create a safer, healthier, more economically viable community.

The Council believes that violence is preventable and envisions a community that fosters the
development of healthy communities, healthy families, and healthy and responsible youth.

Violence is a complex problem that will require collaborative community action to prevent the
problem. This Council’s vision is founded on the following principles:

• Embracing violence-free values

• Adopting an asset- or strength-based view offamily and community

• Applying effective principles to community planning and community-building
• Building on existing resources and promoting collaboration
• Focusing on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
• A planning process which
- will make decisions based on data

- will identify opportunities for action based on both community assessment and known
“Best Practices” and how our local practices compare to these opportunities
- will modify county-wide plans to address regional/community specific needs and
resources

4

Goals of the Violence Preirention Council

The primary goatof the Violence Prevention Coalition is to coordinate with and

support the efforts of groups and agencies involved in violence prevention related activities.
Other goals which the Coalition will address include the following:
1. To raise public awareness about irioience in our society- the

scope and magnitude ofthe problem, complexity ofthe problem, and the conditions which
promote violence while building consensus around potential solutions.
2. To advocate for policies, strategies and organizational

changesthat promote prevention and early intervention, best practices and collaborative
action.

3. To refocus the community's attention on the social 'values

that promote nonviolence such as respect for all people, acceptance and respect
for diversity, and personal and social responsibility.
4. To worK with communities to build on their capacityto develop

and implement effective strategies and policies which reduce and prevent violence.
5. To focus special attention on involving youth

school and'

community-based violence prevention efforts.
6. To expand and develop new funding and prioritize existing

/•esoiwces with a particular focus on creative funding strategies to support collaborative
prevention efforts and systemic strategies to address the multiple factors associated with
violence in our society.

5

Definitions

The following definitions guide the Violence Prevention Council’s work:
Violence

Rre^rention

of physical or psychological

Multiple levels of prevention and intervention are critical to
a comprehensive continuum of effort among an array of

force or power against

health, education, welfare and human service providers in

another person, against

partnership with law and justice systems. Primary

oneself, or against groups or

Prevention is the proactive process which keeps people safe

community that either results

and healthy. Secondary Prevention addresses attitudes,

in, or has the high likelihood

behaviors, conditions and environments and focuses on

The threatened or actual use

of resulting in injury (physical early identification or intervention. Tertiary Prevention
or psychological), death or

relates to reactive efforts and intervention where there are

deprivation. {Adaptedfrom

recognized problems {Adaptedfrom Technology of

the Centersfor Disease

Prevention, 1991; Chronic Disease Epidemiology and

Control and Prevention)

Control, 7PP3;

Violence Prevention, 1995).

Planning Process

Several founding principles ofthe Council’s work include inclusive collaboration and data-

driven planning. The Violence Prevention Council continues its efforts in bringing together
our county’s leaders, experts and interested community members to participate in the planning
process.

The Council was convened to steer violence prevention planning efforts, and to expand the
circle and increase involvement. The conference was held to convene the Coalition and as the

regional forums are conducted, the network will evolve.

The Violence Prevention Council adopted a planning process with four major steps to guide
its overall planning process and that ofthe committees:
• Assessment of the problem
- making decisions based on data
• Identification and use of Best Practices

- comparing local practices to Best Practices
• Action based on data and Best Practices
• Evaluation ofthe work of the Council
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In addition, a context setting model was also adopted to structure the planning. This model
identifies the current situation, the desirable situation, and the steps needed to get there. The
Council is also in the process of continuing to expand the network of participants. The
November 6, conference was one such mechanism. Other mechanisms to expand participation
include regional community forums and focus groups. Recommendations for these processes
are included in the final chapter ofthis document.

Action Planning Conference

On November 6, 1997, the Violence Prevention Council convened the “Safe Homes, Safe
Schools, Safe Neighborhoods” conference. This event was designed to bring together a broad
array of stakeholders interested in developing a violence prevention action plan. The
conference was attended by over 200 individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and
disciplines including: elected office, education, law enforcement, faith, media, mental health,
public health, social services, legal,justice, business, and concerned community members.
This report provides an overview ofthe progress ofthe four committees: Community
Assessment and Data; Policy; Community Based Initiatives; and Public Awareness and

Education since the conference. Each committee is in the process of developing action plans.
Recommendations for taking these draft action plans into the community and gathering more
input from the community will be the final chapter ofthis report.
Next Steps/Timeiines

The final chapter ofthis report documents the next steps and time fi'ames. These include: regional
community forums, focus groups; evaluation plans; and formal approval by the Santa Clara
County Board of Supervisors of the Violence Prevention Council’s activities.

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Community Assessment & Data Committee
Context: Data can assist us in guiding decision making for county-wide action. Collaborative assessment efforts can

assist us in : 1) better understanding the full scope & magnitude ofthe violence problem; 2) preventing it; and
3) evaluating our efforts. A systematic approach will be necessary to accomplish these three things.
Key Stakeholders: Key leaders who play a role in “keeping” and maintaining data bases for select aspects ofthe
violence problem, including: elected officials; health and human services; education; law; justice; faith community;
neighborhood groups; and the media.
Where We

I

How We Will Get To
Where We Want To Be

Four Phase
• Various community organizations
capturing various parts of violence
problem
• Profile of violence problem
fragmented.

Development:
L Scope/Magnitude

Where We

Want To Be

Comprehensive
Violence

Surveillance

ofProblem

System

IL Precursors to

(Community

Problem

Violence

• Lack comprehensive profile of
available resources.

• No tracking of individuals accessing
various aspects of the system.

Information

• No systematic evaluation effort.

III. Tracking System

• Inadequate identification and tracking

IV. Evaluation

of known Violence Prevention “Best
Practices.”

System)
Violence Prevention Council of
Santa Clara County
December 1997

2
Community Assessment &
Data Committee
Since the November 6 conference, the Community Assessment & Data(CA&D)Committee, like
all other VPC committees, has met twice to continue to further evolve a draft action plan. This
committee has been pursuing numerous areas in an effort to develop a comprehensive violence
surveillance system including: a local violence prevention resource inventory, a data matrix, and
the identification of best practices. Key to such a system are standardized methods in order to link
data from different sources.

Context

Data is instrumental to informed decision making. Collaborative efforts can assist in better

understanding the full scope and magnitude of violence, preventing violence, and evaluating the

Council’s efforts. There are numerous agencies that are critical to developing a comprehensive
system: law enforcement. Social Services, Justice Department, Office of Education, Probation,
community organizations, and the Health & Hospital System.
Assessment

As described in the graphic on the previous page, the CA&D committee has described the current
state of violence related data:

•
•
•
•

Various community organizations capturing various parts of violence problem
Profile of violence problem fragmented
Lack comprehensive profile of available resources
No tracking ofindividuals accessing various aspects of the system.

• No systematic evaluation effort.
• Inadequate identification and tracking of known Violence Prevention “Best Practices.”

9

The report produced for the conference, “Violence Prevention in Santa Clara County,” while
identifying numerous opportunities for violence prevention, also identified numerous gaps,
inconsistencies, or concerns about existing data. Below are the identified “gaps” and “limitations”
as presented in the conference report. Whereas the report compiled violence data and information
from 31 agencies, gaps and limitations in data were identified.
Caps

There is a lack of reliable statistics around violence stemming from gang activity. Although
there is information on gang activity in the city of San Jose, we are missing data in all other
see cities.

Enhanced data collection in emergency rooms to document incidents and outcomes of

violence is lacking. Although Emergency Room physicians believe 30% of their patients are
victims of domestic violence, there are no systems that can substantiate these claims.

No information about violence among incarcerated populations is included in this report due
to lack of consistent, accessible surveillance systems.

The inconsistent collection ofincome data results in heavy reliance on proxy measures.
Youth relationship violence and same-sex relationship violence is often not differentiated
from adult or heterosexual relationship violence. This gap makes it difihcult to understand
the magnitude ofthe problem facing these populations.

Data on workplace violence is not included in this report due to reporting discrepancies
associated with this type of violence. Violent events taking place at a worksite are often not
reported in context, rather they are often seen as isolated incidents of assault, trespassing or
even domestic violence. We are cautioned that any statistics pertaining to workplace
violence are most likely an under- representation ofthe current situation. Lack of cross
reporting of violent incidents at the worksite makes it difficult to form an accurate account

of occupational violence as well as domestic violence at the work place.
There is no centralized system to track cases of domestic violence or gang-related violent
events. In the case of domestic violence, reporting from different sources (i.e. police
departments, sheriffs, district attorney, shelters, emergency room, etc.) will not give a
complete picture of domestic violence. Figures fi'om some sources may underestimate the
magnitude ofthe problem and there is no way to know which cases are duplicates.
Limitations

Some databases are more complete than others in reference to perpetrator and victim
demographics and location of violent events.

Not all data are current, because data from sources that are not tracked at the county level
take longer to get (as much as two years).

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Because the data are currently in different formats (cases, rates, percentages, aggregate,
categories etc.), it is not possible to make comparisons across sources.
Data do not cover the same time frames (fiscal vs. calendar year).
Data based on referrals are not as interpretable as data based on confirmed cases.

Various data systems may duplicate cases.

Recommended Actions

The CA&D committee is undergoing a four phase process to develop the system as documented
in “Preventing Violence in Santa Clara County.” Those phases include; documenting the violence
problem; identifying and tracking precursors of violence; developing a comprehensive system to
gather data; evaluating violence prevention programs and the work ofthe Council
RoUcy

One of the key issues identified by this committee is fragmented violence related data — collected
by numerous agencies. To address this serious gap, the CA&D committee will recommend that
the Board of Supervisors formalize the Violence Prevention Council’s efforts and direct county
and community agencies (e.g. Probation, Social Services, Law Enforcement, community
organizations, etc.) to collaborate with the data committee to ensure the formulation of a

comprehensive violence information system. The Supervisors will also be asked that a
Memorandum of Understanding be developed for sharing data across jurisdictions.
Resources

In addition to documenting the impact of violence in Santa Clara County, the committee is
compiling a violence resource inventory. This activity is in accordance with the Council’s guiding
principle of assessing community assets, not simply focusing on problems. Committee members
are collecting information on available violence-related resources in Santa Clara County. A listing

of agencies in the database thus far is attached as well as a sample ofthe type ofinformation being

collected for the database. The listing is not complete at this time, and a form is enclosed to allow
any agency missing from the list to provide the information for inclusion in the database.

11

Preliminar}' list of Agencies in Violence Prevention Resources Database
Agency Name

Action Alliance for Children

City
Oakland

Adolescent Counseling Services

Palo Alto

Adult & Child Guidance Center

San Jose

Advent Group Ministries

San Jose

Alliance Community Counseling Center
Almaden Valley Youth Counseling Service

San Jose
San Jose

Alum Rock Counseling Center

San Jose

American Institutes for Research

Palo Alto

American Red Cross

Palo Alto

Asian American Recovery Services

San Jose

Asian Americans for Community Involvement

San Jose

Asian Law Alliance

San Jose

BAMM (Bay Area Model Mugging)

Redwood Cty

Bar Assoc, of San Fran. - Ad Hoc Comm./Gun Control

San Fran.

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Santa Clara County

San Jose

Bill Wilson Center

Santa Clara

Black Infant Health (BIH) -Subcontr. Econ & Soc Op

San Jose

Boys & Girls Clubs

San Jose

Breakout Ministries

San Jose

Ca. Youth Authority- Gang Info. Apprehension Unit
Cal. Assoc, for the Education of Young Children

Pleasanton

California Youth Authority
Campbell Union High School District

San Jose
San Jose

Catholic Charities

San Jose

Los Gatos

Center for Human Development

San Jose

Center for Organizational Learning & Effectiveness

Los Gatos

Center for Training & Careers

San Jose

Chamberlain's Children Center

Gilroy

Child Advocacy Council

Palo Alto

Child Advocates of Santa Clara & San Mateo Co.

San Jose

Child Health and Disability Prevention Program

San Jose

Child Quest International, Inc.

San Jose

Children's Home Society of California
City Year
CityTeam Ministries

San Jose

San Jose

San Jose

Community Health Awareness Council

Mtn. View

Community Psychotherapy Insitute
Community Solutions

San Jose

CONTACT

San Jose

Morgan Hill

Council of Churches of Santa Clara County

San Jose

Cross Cultural Community Services Center
Cupertino Community Services

San Jose

East Side Union High School District(Foothill HS)
Eastfield Ming Quong
Economic & Social Opportunities, Inc. (ESU)
Education Programs Associates
Emergency Housing Consortium

San Jose

Cupertino

Campbell
San Jose

Campbell
San Jose

Families First

Campbell

Family Health Foundation
Family Service Mid-Peninsula

Palo Alto

Family Service Association of Santa Clara Valley

San Jose

Alviso

Filipino Youth Coalition

San Jose

Friends Outside in Santa Clara County

San Jose

Future Families, Inc.

San Jose

Gardner Health Center (Centro de Bienestar)

San Jose

George Mayne Elementary

Alviso

Giarretto Institute

San Jose

Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara
Indo-American Community Service Center

San Jose

Information & Referral Services, Inc.

San Jose

Santa Clara

Preliminary list of Agencies in Violence Prevention Resources Database
Agency Name

City

Innovatiye Concept Transitional Housing

San Jose

InnVision of Santa Clara Valley
Interagency Collab. Connmittee of Chid Abuse Cncl.

San Jose

San Jose

Juvenile Court

San Jose

Kappa Social Services, Inc.

San Jose

Lutheran Social Services/Turning Point

San Jose

Medical Protocol Committee of Domestic Viol. Cncl.

San Jose

Mexican American Community Services Agency

San Jose

Next Door, Solutions to Domestic Violence

San Jose

Odd Fellow-Rebekah Children's Home

Gilroy

P.A.L. (SJ Police Activities League)

San Jose

P.E.A.R.L.S. (Parent Ed. And Resource Link Svcs.)

San Jose

PACT-St. Maria Goretti

San Jose

Palomares Group Homes, Inc.
Pathway Society, Inc. Youth Services

San Jose

Planned Parenthood

San Jose

San Jose

Process Therapy Institute

Los Gatos

Project Clean Slate

San Jose

Project Crackdown
Role Model Program
Roosevelt Community Center
San Jose City Attorney's Office
San Jose Conservation Corps

San Jose
San Jose

San Jose
San Jose

San Jose

San Jose Dept, of Parks, Rec .& Neighborhood Serv.

San Jose

San Jose Mayor's Office

San Jose

San Jose Peace Center

San Jose

San Jose Police Dept.

San Jose

San Jose Shelter Foundation

San Jose

San Jose State University
San Jose Unified Pioneer High School

San Jose

San Jose Unified School District

San Jose

San Jose

Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos

Santa Cruz

see Asian Law Alliance

San Jose

see
see
see
see
see

San Jose

District Attorney
District Attorney's Office
District Attorney's Office
Law and Justice System
Multi-Disciplinary Child Death

San Jose
San Jose
San Jose
San Jose

see Office of Education

San Jose

see Office of Education ( COE)

San Jose

see PH - MCAH - Comprehensive Perinatal Svcs

San Jose

see PH MCAH

San Jose

see PH Multidisciplinary Child Death Review Team
see PH- Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team
sec Probation - William F. James Boys' Ranch

San Jose
San Jose

sec Probation - Diversion

San Jose

sec
sec
sec
sec
sec

San Jose

Morgan Hill

Probation Department
Probation Department - Juvenile Division
Probation Dept,
Probation Dept,
Social Agency-Nuestra Casa

San Jose
San Jose

San Jose
San Jose

see Social Services Agency
sec Superior Court - Family Division
SeV for Christ-Operation Drawbridge
SeV Health & Hospital System

San Jose

SeV Youth for Christ

San Jose

SeV Youth Foundation

San Jose

Sentencing Alternative Program

San Jose

San Jose
San Jose
San Jose

Si Se Puede

San Jose

SJ Dept, of Parks, Rec., & Neibrhood -Neighbhd Dev

San Jose

A

Preliminary list of Agencies in Violence Prevention Resources Database

Agency Name

SJ Poice Dept.-Violent Crime Unit

City
San Jose

SJ Police Dept.- Crime Preventn Dept.

San Jose

SJ Police Dept.-Juvenile Crimes Unit
SJ Police Dept.-Violent Crime Enforcemnt Team

San Jose
San Jose

Social Advocates for Youth

San Jose

Social Services Agency of Santa Clara County

San Jose

South Bay Charity Cultural Services Center

San Jose

St. Andrew's Residential Programs for Youth, Inc.
St. Joseph's Cathedral / Social Ministry Office

San Jose

Support Network for Battered Women

Mtn. View

The Bridge Counseling Center
The Right Track Program

San Jose

San Jose

Morgan Hill

Tough Love

Palo Alto

Turn It Around

San Jose

Ujima Adult and Family Services, Inc.

San Jose

United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County
United Way of Santa Clara County

Santa Clara

San Jose

Urban Ministry of Palo Alto

Palo Alto

Vanished Children's Alliance

San Jose

Vietnamese American Cultural and Social Council

San Jose

Vietnamese Voluntary Foundation
Volunteers in Parole, Inc. (VIP, INC.)

San Jose

Volunteers of America - Brandon House

San Jose

San Jose

Women and Their Children's Housing (WATCH)

Milpitas

YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula

Palo Alto

YWCA of the Santa Clara Valley, Rape Crisis Srvcs.

San Jose

SAMPLE of Information in Violence Prevention Resources Database
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Action Aliaince publishes the "Children's Advocate" newspaper, sponsers

UK

on violence on young children and prevention strategies, has
ft.'irf'i’it bescrigtio^^^ conferences
produced a video on violence on children, and faciliate a childrens' violence

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Present projects include a violence prevention strategy presentation for cable TV
that will be available for distribution and a domestic violence identification training
program for childcare workers.
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Available/Needecl Data

A matrix is currently being compiled in order to document which agencies collect violence data, in
what format they collect it, and the specific information gathered. This matrix includes needed
data points — that is, information that may not currently be collected but is needed to formulate a
clearer understanding of violence in Santa Clara County. A copy ofthe matrix follows. In addition

to the preliminary matrix, a form is attached for individuals to complete in order to collect any
data that is currently not reflected in the matrix.

This matrix can serve as a guide in the development of a comprehensive information system.
Much ofthe information in this matrix is based on the Los Angeles County model.
Recommendations for Self-Assessment

In keeping with the Violence Prevention Council’s model of evaluation, a self-assessment process
needs to be defined and implemented. Such an evaluation model can help the Council enhance its
collaborative planning process.
De^reiopment of an Ev^aiuation Template
To measure the outcomes ofthe Violence Prevention Council’s actions, the Council should
develop a template for outcome evaluation.

12

Preliminary Violence Data Matrix

To assist the Violence Prevention Council(VPC)in assessing the nature and magnitude of

violence-related safety issues in Santa Clara County, the VPC is developing a matrix of existing
community databases. The Violence Data Matrix(VDM)is the VPC’s first attempt to catalogue
available data resources on violence. The VDM is preliminary and will change as the Council is
made aware of new data resources. If your organization has a database that records data about
violence please add the name ofthe database to the matrix and fill out the matrix using the
appropriate codes (E=Electronically Archived, HC=Hard Copy, RN=Report Narrative.
?=Unknown). If your organization's database is included, but not filled but, please take this
opportunity to do so. Also, to help us keep track of data resources please fill out the following:
Your Name:

Title:

Organization:
Address:
Phone:

Fax:

E-mail Address:

We would like to know the name ofthe individual in your organization who is most familiar with

how the data is archived and what fields the database contains (i.e. database manager).
Name:

Title:

Phone

E-mail:

Who is the person that does data analysis for your organization?
Name

Title:

Phone

E-mail:

Who is the person in your organization that has the authority to release raw data to the TSCN?
Name

Title:

Phone

E-mail:

Thank you for making your organization available to the Violence Prevention Council. If you
have any comments or suggestions on the matrix please provide them below or call Stephanie
Golzat(408) 885-4210.

Please return this completedform to:
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department
2220 MoorparkAve., Rm. 115
San Jose, CA 95128

FAX:(408) 885-424 7

Policy Committee

Context: Policy at multiple levels can assist to proactively address factors which create conditions and influence the

occurrence of violence. These levels include

,,

.

,

service provider organizations, systems, community and/or public policy to

address primary, secondaiy and tertiary prevention and factors which create the means and opportunities for violence or
influence the occurrence of violence for the person(s) committing the violent act, victims and witnesses of the violent acts.

Stakeholders: Key groups in community who need to be involved in the development of policy: elected officials; health
and human services; business; youth; education; law;justice; faith community; neighborhood groups; and the media.
Where We

; -Are^Now- ■

•

I

Gaps/Fragmented Policies

We Will Get To

Where We Want To Be

Where We
Want To Be

Examine current niagniliide & scope of the violence

problem and identify opportunities of highest priority
for policy

Across Systems,

Jurisdictions and Organizations

Comprehensive
Violence

Priority Areas:
• Alcohol

Examine "Bcsl Pracliccs" in policx'

• Access to Guns

Compare Santa Clara public policy wilIr'Bcst
Practices" in policy'

• Violence Free Relationships

Prevention

Policy
Strategy

I
• Inadequate identification and
tracking of known Violence
Prevention “Best Practices.”

Identify opporlunilics for polic>' action based on data
,

and “Best Pracliccs”

t
Action Planning

Violence I’revenlian Council of
Santa Clara County
ncceiiihcr 1997

n

Policy Oommittee
The Policy committee is working to develop a comprehensive violence prevention policy strategy.
Context

The Policy committee believes that violence is a problem that affects all segments ofthe
population — emotionally, physically and fiscally — and that the entire community must accept
responsibility for addressing that problem.

Among the numerous materials reviewed, the Policy committee considered the Attorney
General’s report, “Violence Prevention: A Vision of Hope.” This document is the result of a

group of experts who studied the issue for over a year and produced a series of policy
recommendations. These recommendations covered the following areas; media, firearms, alcohol,
community, family, relationships, youth, respect for diversity, personal and social responsibility,
and research and evaluation. The Policy committee formally approved “A Vision of Hope” as its
conceptual framework and model for Best Practices.

The Policy committee also discussed violence in context ofthe larger social issues of poverty,
racism, and sexism. The committee felt it imperative to address both the structural issues of
poverty and racism as it relates to violence. It acknowledges that in order to truly impact violence,
these issues must be considered in any prevention activities.
In keeping with the Violence Prevention Council’s focus on prevention, the Policy committee

believes that the problem of violence must be addressed on three basic levels of prevention;

14

Primary prevention addresses those conditions or attitudes or beliefs that misiht

lead to violence in a way that prevents violence from occurring in the first place and

include such things as education, development of policy, adoption of community norms
and attitudes, and similar actions.

Secondary prevention addresses the need to have early identification and early

intervention strategies which will provide an early response before problems of violence
become serious and require more intensive and remedial actions.
Tertiary prevention addresses the longer term, remedial and rehabilitative

strategies that respond to violence which has occurred, such as criminal sanctions,
treatment, and rehabilitation.

All three of these levels of prevention are necessary to have a complete community response
to the problem.

Assessment

The Policy committee identified three priority areas based on the Attorney General’s report as
well as local data. Some ofthe following data points from “Violence Prevention in Santa Clara
County” highlight the need to focus in these areas:

«

Promoting Violence-Pree Relationships

Child Abuse referrals totaled 22,376 in 1996, with the most frequent referrals being for
ph\-sical abuse, followed by general neglect and sexual abuse.
Ju^'enile felony arrest rates have increased steadily from 1985 to 1994. There has been a

dramatic increase in assault and robberv' charges among juvenile offenders.

Juvenile arrest rates for weapons violations have increased 117%. Also, during the same
time period, homicides perpetrated by juveniles involving firearms have increased
threefold.

In Santa Clara County, 9 of 11 city law enforcement agencies reported gangs.
Schools report battery is the most common violent act perpetrated at elementary', middle
and high schools. Most offenses occur on campus.

15

Domestic violence related deaths among Asians are more than double the group’s presence
in the total population

In 1996, 4,604 cases of domestic violence were filed with the District Attorney’s Office.
Between Januaiy' 1, 1997 and September 30, 1997, there were 16 cases ofsame-sex
domestic violence filed with the District Attorney’s Office.

Dependent adult (18-64 years) abuse is inflicted by others 60% ofthe time, and selfinflicted in 40% of documented cases

Males aged 15-34 have a much higher rate of homicides (10.8 per 100,000) compared to
age females (3.1 per 100,000). Hispanic males aged 15-34 have the highest rate of
homicide (20.9/100,000), followed by Asian males (10.2/100,000) and white males

same

(5.5/100,000)

• Fteducing youth access to alcohol and other drugs
In a project study oftwo cities, alcohol was involved in one-fourth of all home arrests, two
thirds of robberies, and between one-halfto two-thirds of all homicides and assaults.

(Attorney General’s Office, “A Vision of Hope”)

A 1989 study of alcohol and alcohol related problems in Santa Clara County found that
census tracts with the highest concentration of outlets also reported the highest number of

crimes and requests for police services. In an area ofthe county where Latinos comprised
57 percent of the residents, there were 4.56 alcohol outlets per 1,000 people - nearly five
times more than in the white communities, where there were 0.94 alcohol outlets per 1,000
people (Attorney General’s Office, “A Vision of Hope”).

According to a National Institute of Justice research report, the most promising strategies
for reducing alcohol-related violence involve decreasing underage drinking through taxes,
law enforcement, peer pressure and preventive education on substance abuse (Attorney
General’s Office, ”A Vision of Hope”).
• Fteducing/preventing firearm (weapon) wolence

Firearms were responsible for 76% of homicides against children(< 21 years of age)
between 1993 and 1994.

16

Guns were used in 57% of domestic violence related deatli incidents as reviewed by tlie
Death Review Committee.

One in 5 homes in Santa Clara Count}' have a gun. Ofthose homes, 31.9% have unlocked
handguns.

RecommenciedI Actions

The Policy committee has identified the following steps that should be taken in each of the three
priority areas.

Violence-Free Relationships

• Communities should consider adopting policies which identify and define violence in
i
relationships and clearly express their intolerance with such violence.

• The clear definition of such things as spouse abuse, child abuse, date rape, fighting
associated with sports events, and related activities, which are often not clearly viewed
as violence, should be clarified.
Alcohol

• Communities should consider adopting policies which limit or reduce the
concentration of alcohol retail outlets in high risk areas, using zoning, land use and
conditional use approval authority.

• Specific models of land use policy, zoning ordinances and related regulatory tools
available to cities and counties should be identified and shared with appropriate levels
of government.

• Broad policy statements which place public emphasis on the link between alcohol

availability and violence and abuse should be promulgated and widely disseminated.
• Policy support for more comprehensive resource allocation for education and
treatment of alcohol problems should be supported.

17

f^irearms

• Communities should consider adopting policies which limit the availability of certain

kinds offirearms, such as assault weapons, and which establish broad community
standards about firearm safety and intolerance offirearm violence.

Specific strategies might include mandating safety locks and educating parents and
youth on the safe handling and storage of handguns.

Other strategies might include such things as local ordinances and business permit
approval to limit sale of certain types of weapons.

Policy statements should be adopted which clearly set forth the community’s norms
and values about the use offirearms

Support from the Board! of Super'irisors

The Policy committee is also preparing a transmittal to be submitted to the Board of Supeiwis
The contents of this transmittal are described in the final chapter ofthis report.

ors.

18

Community Based Initiatives Committee

Context: Wliereas violence impacts the vvholc coiinly, it occurs at the community level and it disproportionately impacts some geographic

I population segments In tJiese geographic and population segments, Uiere are opportunities to fully explore the appropriate communitv

srr

-------—-violence

Key Stakeholders: Key groups in community who need to be involved in the development ofcommunity based initiatives' elected

officials; heal^ h_^n se^s;business; youth; education; law;justice; faith community; neighborhood groups; and the media
Where We

• Violence problem disparities
(geographic, population segments)
• Lack of balance in need/problem
orientation with community

How We Will Get To
Where We Want To Be

• Lack of adequate partnership vvitli
community
• Inadequate data sources

Want To Be

Examine profile of the scope /magnitude of the
Violence problem; identify opportunities where
community-based initiatives could be targeted

Comprehensive
Examine “Best Practices” in Community Based

Data Driven

Ini intives

Targeted

asscts/rcsources

• Fragmentation of Violence Prevention
activities, ser\'ices & initiatives

Where We

Compare Santa Clara Efforts in Community
Based Initiatives to “Best Practices”

y

Community
Based

Initiatives

Identify community strengths

I
Identify opportunities for action

• Inadequate identification, utilization and
tracking of known “Best Practices ”

Action Planning

Violence Prevenlion Council of
Santa Clara County
Dccemher 1997

IV

Community Based Initiatives
Committee

Gontejct

Although violence affects the entire county, it occurs at the community level. Certain
segments of the population and geographical areas are disproportionately affected. In these
areas, community based actions can be explored to address the different phases of violence as
well as the means and occasions creating opportunities for violence.
Assessment

Based on available data, input from the conference, and subsequent meetings, the Community
Based Initiatives (CBI) committee identified three priority areas. In each area, committee

members stressed the importance ofincorporating violence prevention into existing programs.
• Youth Leadership incorporating a comprehensive violence prevention
curriculum

* Parent education and training

Develop skills to gear toward violence prevention - anger management, conflict
resolution, stress management
- preventing abuse and neglect

- building healthy relationships

- building adult leadership skills

20

'Expand School Lintced Services

Using schools as community centers for neighborhoods. Creating full service schools
(for example: Tyler school, Beacon Schools, New Beginnings) which in addition to
offering an educational environment, offer opportunities for the healthy, social, arid
educational development of children and families in their community.

The committee expressed interest in working with the Sheriffs department to map the
occurrence of youth violence.

The committee discussed the importance of taking a prevention based approach focusing:on
primary and secondary prevention and keeping a multigenerational perspective. The CBT
committee noted that several other communities need to be brought to the table to ensure
proper representation, particularly more grass roots community members as well as the
business community.
Recommended Actions

Ultimately the committee determined that it should focus on one of the above areas -

Youth

Leadership- 2ls a starting point. The committee members raised concerns that m any

leadership programs plan their activities around already high achievers or those most at risk.
The committee prefers a population wide approach at every level of schooling from
'

elementaiy schools to high schools. This committee believes that all young people should have
the opportunity to benefit from a youth leadership initiative.

:

Best Practices

The committee is aware ofa variety of organizations involved with developing youth
leaders, and is currently compiling a list of these groups to be contacted for more I
information. The group’s goal is to identify already successful youth leadership programs
and integrate them with a comprehensive violence prevention component. A preliminary
list oflocal and national organizations focusing on youth leadership development foljows.
AmeriCorps
Association of Junior Leagues

School Student Councils

j

Department of Neighborhood Services

International

Asian Americans for Community^

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America

Involvement

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Catholic Charities of SCC

;

21

Boy Scouts of America - national &

Santa Clara County
Campfire Girls and Boys - national &

Santa Clara/Santa Cruz County
Girl Scouts ofthe USA - national &

Santa Clara County
Junior Achievement

Community Kids to Camp, Inc.
Mexican American Community
Services Agency
Santa Clara County Social Advocates
YMCA of Santa Clara Valley
YWCA of Santa Clara Valley

City Year

Interact - Rotary
National Conference of Christian ; and

People Acting in Community Together

Jews

(PACT)
Youth Alliance

Other CBOs

Uniting Congregations for Youth

Development(Council of Church ;s)

Alexf Steps
The CBI committee will;

• Continue to identify and evaluate youth leadership programs as models for a Santa Clara
County initiative.

• Evaluate the Sheriffs Department mapping of youth violence

• Collect and evaluate literature and documents regarding CBI programs in other locations
• Seek to develop partnerships with the business community and with grass roots
community organizations

22

Public Awareness & Education Committee
Context: Public Aw.reness & Education altalcgics can help in violence prevent,on by ntaking people aware onite rull acopc and
the role that multiple players and sectors can play in the full spectrum of the ^problem
magnitude
oflhewhich
Violence
problem^
It can also
inclndeand/or
and
the factors
directly
or indirectly
contribute
innuencc the occurrence of the phases of violence.
Key Sttlkeliolders: Key groups in contmtntity who need to be involved in llte development of public awareness a,td edueali
- -ion strategies:

elected officials; health and human services; business; youth; education; law;justice; faith community; neighborhood groups; and the media.
Where We

We Will Get

Are Now

lere We Waiit To Be

Gaps in Public Awareness &
Education vis a vis

Violence Prevention

Wliere We
Want To Be

Examine violence problem profile and identify
key areas where there are opportunities for Public
Awareness and Education

Comprehensive
Violence

y

•

Lack of comprehensive picture of the
violence problem

Examine “Best Practices” 1i 11 Public Awareness
cITorts

Prevention
Public

•

Lack of common awareness of all

factors that directly and indirectly
create conditions or influence '

conditions where violence can occur or

y

Awareness &

Compare Santa Clara Public Awareness and
Education efforts witlCBest Practices”

Education

y

Strategies

escalate.

•

Weak collaborative and systematic
efforts in public awareness & educafion

•

Inadequate identification and tracking
of known “Best Practices.”

Identify opportunities for Public Awareness &

Education action in Santa Clara County

Action Planning

Violence Preveniion Council of
Santa Clara Counly
December 1997

21

5
Public Awareness &
Education Committee
The Public Awareness & Education Committee(PA&E)is charged with developing
comprehensive violence prevention public awareness and education strategies.
Corr/ejrf

Violence prevention efforts can be enhanced by raising awareness in the community ofthe full
scope and magnitude of violence. Specific messages can be crafted and directed to specific
communities or can be designed for different levels of violence prevention. There is virtually no
segment of the population that is not at risk for violence as victim or perpetrator— thus the
stakeholders are multiple.

The violence issues facing our community have not been clearly articulated — in part due to
fragmented data but also because of the many types of violence that occur; physical, emotional,
financial, etc.

Assessment

The report, “Preventing Violence in Santa Clara County,” clearly documented that violence is

pervasive in our community. Based on these data, the Policy Committee identified three priority
areas:

• Rromoting Violence-Rree Relationships
•

Reducing/pre^^enting firearm

•

Reducing youth access to alcohol

violence

24

One role of the Public Awareness and Education(PA&E)committee is to support the efforts of
the Violence Prevention Council committees.

As conference participants were setting the context for violence prevention awareness strategies,
numerous participants noted a lack of awareness about violence in general. The committee noted

this gap and considered a general campaign to increase understanding of violence issues.

The PA&E committee ultimately identified interpersonal violence, or violence-free relationships,
as a priority for an awareness/education campaign. The committee specifically focused

on

violence-free relationships in part because it is not specific to a single type of violence (for
example, child abuse or domestic violence) and can allow for the creation of a messac^e
emphasizing respect for others in all contexts.
ffecommendecf Action

Based on the concept of promoting violence-free relationships, the PA&E committee has drafted

a series of steps for an awareness campaign. The group identified youth as one group such a
campaign would target, it also recognized the need for a wider, or “layered” campaign in the
broader community.
Youth campaign

To reach youth, it was determined that a school-based campaign might be appropriate. A seres of
steps to develop this kind of campaign were identified:

1. Research which schools/districts have a violence-prevention curriculum
2. Determine appropriate contacts at school and district level

3. Identify and research other school-based violence prevention curriculum “Best Practices.”
- SJ Best, FAST, DARE, Turning Point, PeaceBuilders, etc.

4. Produce a resource directory (resources currently being documented/compiled by the
CA&D committee)
5. Educate school staff

- status of violence in county
- impact of violence
- what they can do

6. Develop a model policy that schools can adopt encouraging the incorporation of violeice
prevention strategies into curriculum

25

7. Encourage adoption of model policy
!

The need to involve parents in the education process was also identified as a component critiqal to
the success of a youth-focused

campaign.

Gommunity-Based Campaign
As a complement to a youth-focused

campaign, the committee recommends a community-bas^d
campaign focusing on violence-free relationships. The PA&E committee noted research showing
that the effectiveness of an educational
'
message is enhanced through repetition and reinforcenjient.

Messages are more effective when heard multiple times from different sources. Thus, the success
of a youth focused awareness campaign also hinges on messages that adults - who
are educators.
parents, and role models for youth — send to youth.

The PA&E committee preliminarily identified a number of groups that might be the focus ofsuch
a community-based campaign, including; faith communities, ethnic communities, community
organizations, and employers.
Getting the message out

The PA&E committee will consider a variety of vehicles to promote violence-free
relationships including: media - paid and free; newsletters; posters; brochures; presentatioris,
etc.

Purpose of Campaign

The purpose ofthe campaign is not only to raise awareness, but to ensure that those impacted
by or concerned about violence can

get support or more information. The proposed campaign

would make a violence prevention resource guide available. The Community Assessment and
Data committee(CA&D)is currently compiling a resource inventory, a sample of which can
be found within the CA&D committee section ofthis report.

26

6
Recommendations

for Next Steps
Expanding the Violence Pre%rention Coalition network:

An integral component ofthe Violence Prevention Council is to engage the community in order to
build broader awareness ofand support for the Council’s work. The committee action plans will
be presented at community forums throughout Santa Clara County for input in the first half of
1998. In addition to gaining input from geographically defined regions, focus groups will also be
held with other defined communities.

Regional Community Forums

One method to bring the report to the community is via community forums in different regions
as defined by the districts of the Board of Supervisors.

- .

Each Supervisor will be asked to work with the Council to schedule these forums throughout
the district in.early 1998.
Partner with Local Leaders

In each region, the goal is to partner with local leaders - e.g. cities, schools, law enforcement to present the plans. In so doing, the network will continue to be expanded.

Each committee will be asked to help identify those community members and groups that
should be present as well as to conduct outreach to those groups.

27

F^ocus Grcfups

To further shape the broad areas identified during the conference and community forums, input
will also be sought through focus groups. Members ofthe youth and elder communities as w6ll as

business, faith and education representatives will be brought together to hear input from these
groups.

Enlist Formal Support from Board Of Supervisors for
Violence Prevention Council

A transmittal will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors asking them to take the following
actions;

1. Accept the November 6, 1997, Report from the Santa Clara County Violence Prevention
Council entitled, “Violence Prevention in Santa Clara County - Current Efforts, Statistics and
Future Opportunities'"

2. Request that the County Executive convene an interdepartmental task force involving all
Health and Human Service, Law and Justice and other appropriate departments,
a.) to explore the development of a system for the ongoing collection, sharing and ana ysis
of data and information relative to the incidence of prevalence of violence;
b) to develop collaborative approaches in addressing issues related to preventing and
reducing violence in the county- and

c.)to report back o the Board of Supervisors within 90 days on progress and planning
efforts.

3. Instruct the Public Health Department to provide staffing to the above mentioned

interdepartmental task force and to serve as the repository ofthe violence-related data sys
with the responsibility to develop and produce progress reports to the Board of Supervisors,

;em

County Departments and community at large.

4. Authorize the newly created Violence Prevention Council of Santa Clara County to
convene a
series ofcommunity forums and focus groups in 1998 to aid in the development of
a “County Multi-Year Community Strategic Action Plan” to prevent and reduce violence
throughout the County.

28

5. Instruct the Violence Prevention Council to involve young people, community and
neighborhood groups and individuals, religious, business and civic representatives, and elected
and appointed officials from throughout the county in the planning process for preparation of
the "County Multi-Year Community Strategic Action Plan".

6. Designate the Public Health Department, Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System,
with administrative responsibility to support the activities ofthe Violence Prevention Council,
to bring the Council's action plan to the Board of Supervisors in June or August, 1998, with a
proposed process for the implementation ofthe action plan which includes recommendatic ns
for an aggressive funding plan to support action plan recommendations.

Self Assessment

In order to continuously improve on the Coalition/partnership building process, a next step wi Ibe
to conduct a selfinventory using “Best Practices” for coalition building. This selfinventory can
serve as

an opportunity to further evolve and refined aspects ofthe collaborative process.

29

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