THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 15, 1995 TAG: 9501130247
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
Hoping to get ahead of the problems of juvenile crime, teen pregnancy and truancy, City Council created a committee last week to help find solutions.
The Youth Services Coordinating Council, a 20-person body, is intended to monitor city policies and programs and devise new ones.
According to its City Council mandate, the panel will be responsible for coordinating the efforts of different city departments, religious institutions and non-profit groups; and it will provide information to the public about juvenile crime, youth at risk and youth-oriented programs.
City Council member Louisa M. Strayhorn said she's convinced the only way to prevent juvenile crime is to start fighting it before it becomes a major problem. Strayhorn said cities that have taken a proactive approach to solving youth violence have been much more effective.
Daniel M. Stone, director of the city's department of Social Services, said he believes coordination is also key. The city needs to work with community resources, parents and youths to find ways to help troubled teens.
This is not a problem that government can or should fix alone, he said.
``Many community concerns aren't things that government has to solve,'' Stone said. ``We're not talking about creating more bureaucracy, but somebody needs to take leadership.''
The committee will include four youths, several members of volunteer organizations, a representative of an interfaith religious group, a member of the city's business community and nine officials from city departments including police, court services, parks and recreation and the public schools.
The adults will serve three-year terms and the young people will serve for one year each. by CNB