School Safe Zone Program Unveiled

Los Angeles city and school officials launched a campaign Thursday to reduce violence around 10 campuses by expanding the penalties for crimes committed near the schools.

The officials unveiled the Safe School Zone program at Jefferson High School in South Los Angeles, the site of recent campus melees.

They said offenders would face extra jail time and additional fines for committing crimes around schools.

The safe zones, sanctioned by the state penal code, lie within 1,000 feet of the campuses and 100 feet of designated bus stops, officials said. The new measures apply during school hours as well as before and after school activities.

“These safe school zones are a strong declaration ... that we will not tolerate violence against our children,” said City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo at a Jefferson High news conference attended by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles Unified Supt. Roy Romer and other officials.

New black-and-white signs declaring the safe zones are being posted at Jefferson and eight other high schools -- Fremont, Jordan, Locke Washington Prep, Van Nuys High, Gardena High, Belmont High and Los Angeles High -- as well as Markham Middle School.

Officials said they chose the schools because of high crime rates in the neighborhoods around them. District officials said they plan to expand the effort to all of L.A. Unified’s 900 school campuses.

The program’s initial $15,000 cost has been picked up largely by the school district. City Councilwoman Jan Perry’s office, which represents the area around Jefferson High, is paying for signs at that campus and other schools in her council district, she said.

At Thursday’s event, city and school district officials showed off one of the signs on the front wall of Jefferson High. It read “Safe School Zone” in large black print and continued: “Any person who commits a crime within this area is subject to increased penalties. Violators Will Be Prosecuted.”

First-time offenders would face up to six months of jail and a fine of up to $500 on top of other penalties. Subsequent offenses would bring additional sanctions, including mandatory jail time.

Students and administrators said they hoped the new signs would serve as a deterrent.

“People are going to be aware that there are penalties for what they do,” said Jefferson High senior Desire Alvayero, who added that she sometimes feels unsafe walking home from school because men whistle at her.

Jefferson High has been a focus of police and school district attention in recent months because of racially charged melees that have erupted on campus during school hours.

After the unrest, the school district police and the Los Angeles Police Department stepped up police presence at the school and in the surrounding community.

The school also introduced new uniforms and divided the crowded lunchtime into two shifts to ease congestion on campus. A new high school recently opened nearby, reducing Jefferson’s enrollment from 3,800 to 3,000.

Students welcomed the new campaign, saying they can concentrate on their studies only if they feel protected from violence.

“The school is trying to be safe,” said junior Michelle Estrada. “Everything is more organized, more calm.”