(Oakland) – On Friday, June 1st, 2007 the Assembly Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention will hold the third in a series of hearings held throughout the state focused on preventing youth violence.

The hearing, “Preventing Youth Violence in Urban Communities: Strategies that Work”, will take place at the Oakland Port Building Boardroom, 2nd floor, at 530 Water Street, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30p.m.

The hearing follows by one week the roll-out of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s anti-gang initiative, also in Oakland.  Commenting on the two events, Assemblywoman Anna Caballero (D – Salinas), Chairwoman of the Committee, said, “We’re working to change the dialogue around youth violence, from a focus on gangs to the question of what we can do to help children and their families.”

She added:  “While we commend the governor for his attention to the issue of gangs, we’re concerned that his proposal focuses primarily on ways to suppress youth violence, while shortchanging more cost effective prevention and interventions strategies.”

The goal of the select committee is to develop a “tool-kit” of ideas and programs that could be used by communities working to reduce youth violence.  It will also contain policy and budget recommendations to aid the Legislature.

Assemblyman Swanson, also a member of the committee, invited the select committee to Oakland, noting: “As legislators, we have a responsibility to respond to the needs of our most valuable resource: our children. When at-risk youth are discarded to the streets, or latchkey kids aren’t offered after school alternatives to hanging out with friends without supervision, society has fundamentally failed our children. I am eager to embrace the challenge of youth violence and am pleased to have this opportunity to work with Assemblywoman Caballero to find and report effective strategies to the Legislature.”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D – Oakland) will be the first witness before the Select Committee speaking to how federal and state resources can be leveraged to address youth violence prevention. Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson will discuss the youth violence prevention initiatives that are currently underway in the County of Alameda.

A panel of experts with years of experience addressing this question will be testifying as to what is working and how the state should direct more resources to help solve this problem. Testimony will focus on prevention, intervention, and suppression tactics that work. A public comments section will provide other stakeholder organizations and individuals an opportunity to express their views for the benefit of the legislature.

A partial list of panelists include representatives from Fight Crime, Invest in Kids; the Alameda Planning Council; the Center for Young Women’s Development; the Spanish Speaking Unity Council; Acts Full Gospel Church, Men of Valor Academy; Youth Uprising; Project Reconnect; the Oakland Youth Commission; the Alameda County Probation Department; the County Board of Education; the Oakland Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney.

Previous hearings were held in Salinas and Los Angeles.

Other Members of the Assembly Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention who will be participating include Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D – Berkeley), Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R – San Luis Obispo), Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D – West Hollywood), Assemblyman Dave Jones (D – Sacramento), and Assemblyman Mike Duvall (R – Brea).