Anti-Crime Grant Would Aid Teens
Youths living in West Ventura could get help from a joint county-city law-enforcement team if the Ventura County Probation Agency and the Ventura Police Department are successful in securing a crime-prevention grant from the state.
The grant would fund a program that would partner a youth services officer from the Ventura Police Department with a probation officer. It will target the area from Cabrillo Middle School west to the Ventura Avenue area.
On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors is expected to approve a grant application that requests $345,469 from the state office of criminal justice planning.
After identifying at-risk youth, the officers would channel them and their families into community programs such as the Boys & Girls Club, Youth Employment Services and the Sheridan Way Family Center. Troubled teens will have access to mentoring, tutoring, counseling and alcohol and drug-abuse services.
“Involving the family is the key to keeping youth away from delinquent behavior,” said Ventura Police Sgt. Ken Corney. “It’s a challenge, but we think we’ll be able to broker these services and activities to young people and their families.”
In addition to probation and police officers, schoolteachers and counselors would refer students to the program. Corney said grant winners should be notified some time in March.
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