Violence prevention program victim of state budget cuts

Young Philadelphia gunshot victims will soon have to look elsewhere for help steering clear of violence in the future. Starting tomorrow, the Pennsylvania Injury Reporting and Intervention System, which works with youth aged 15 to 24, will no longer accept new referrals. Within a few months, the program will wrap up completely. It’s one casualty of the state’s budget problems.

Young Philadelphia gunshot victims will soon have to look elsewhere for help steering clear of violence in the future. Starting tomorrow, the Pennsylvania Injury Reporting and Intervention System, which works with youth aged 15 to 24, will no longer accept new referrals. Within a few months, the program will wrap up completely. It’s one casualty of the state’s budget problems.

Transcript:
Mark Harrell is Executive Director of Men United for a Better Philadelphia. He says the hospital-based injury surveillance and intervention system made a difference simply by bringing together groups that might not otherwise have interacted.

Harrell: “Say for example there was a homicide on a particular corner. What the program would do was convene an outdoor on the street meeting of the community, law enforcement representatives, and organizations that provide victims assistance, and would actually inform the community of what’s being done to resolve the conflict or the incident that took place in the community.”

Harrell says with funding cuts hitting intervention and support programs, now more than ever adults need to step up and support youth.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090331violence.mp3]