Community Development Capstone Project

Community Development Capstone ProjectJonesboro/Scott Park NeighborhoodGROUP 7Markita KnowlesEve KeitaBrandi SimsPatrice SmithLisa Wimbush

Police & Fire Protection Services

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Participatory Action Research

When we first took a look at what were going to be dealing with, we decided to incorporate one of the techniques that we learned in class. We knew that this plan was going to take research and then action. We knew that in order to make an effective change in this community, we needed to do our research. The Participatory Action Research process primarily guided us throughout project. We will also use this process to help us guide you through our presentation. The first step of the PAR process is Assessment Level. Lets take a look at the information that we gathered to help us implement an action plan.*

INVESTIGATING DETAILSAssessment Level

Characteristics of Jonesboro Scott

Over 100 years

Disinvestment

Increased residential turnover

Single-Parent homes

Lack of visibility-Cubbies

Were now going to outweigh how the characteristics of Jonesboro Scott attributes to the crime problem. The neighborhood is over 100 years old, so generations have changed and the newer generations care has slowly withered. Which leads to my point about the amount of abandoned and foreclosed homes in jonesboro scott. Over time, families can no longer afford the homes or just decide to leave.More 60% of the homes in Jonesboro Scott are of single-parents. Because its difficult for single parents to take care of children, the life of crime makes it more possible for young people to resort to. Also the lack of visibility in the neighborhood makes it easy for crimes to be committed there.*

absentee landlords, junked cars, prostitutes, drug dealers, even a plugged city drain

Greensboros News & Record wrote an article 2 years ago regarding Jonesboro Scott Park called Building Trust By the whoosh of busty U.S. 29. The article interviewed residents of Jonesboro Scott and their experience living there. During that point the police had were progressively taking control over the neighborhoods trouble spots and the city was working on the neighborhood redevelopment plan. The article also reported that Neighbors called the police and city about absentee landlords, junked cars, prostitutes, drug dealers, even a plugged city drain. As they tell it, they didn't get anything but words. The article continues to speak about how the east market Street Development Corportation has diligently worked to renovate this neighborhood, but lack of willingness from the city and some resistence makes it that much harder. *

This City program coordinates multiple departments to actively work in a problem area to have a strong, immediate impact on crime and other quality of life issues. Besides increased police patrols, the program has resulted in significant pressure from Local Ordinance Enforcement to clean up lots and vacant houses. The City also led a Safety Audit, essentially a moving focus group where residents walk with police and give them detailed information about the neighborhood. National Night Out, in its 25th year nationally, seeks to increase awareness ofcrimeand drug prevention and to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

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GATHERING INFORMATIONAssessment Level

The neighborhood has a crime rate twice that of Greensboro, and three times higher than the citys violent crime rate. So we needed to identify what type of crimes were being committed. We first gathered information from the residents*

What is the biggest crime that you feel affects this neighborhood?

Results

Chart1

13

9

5

3

Sales

Most Affecting Crimes

Sheet1

Sales

Drugs13

Prostitution9

Robbery5

Assault3

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

The top response of this question was the drug issue in Jonesboro/Scott Park. Residents spoke on the number of drug dealers and consumers that reside in the neighborhood. One resident even stated that a couple of the dealers AND consumers come from NC A&T. Some of the abandoned homes and less visible areas are used for drug use and exchange. This is the same issue for prostitution. Most of the prostitutes live in the neighborhood or travel to the neighborhoods and perform activities in these same abandoned properties and less visible areas. Roberies and assaults were also two big issues. As well as gang activities and property damage.

DrugsProstitutionBurglaryAggravated AssaultVandalismGangsProperty Abuse*

How do you rate the overall relationship with emergency services?

Chart1

0

2

18

10

Sales

Emergency Services/Neighborhood Relationship

Sheet1

Sales

Satisfactory0

Average2

Unsatisfactory18

No Opinion10

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

Overall, the neighborhood does not have a positive relationship with the police. Police is being seen as the enemy instead of the help to the neighborhood. Then again, the relationship between majority of african americans and the police has always been a negative one. *

Survey

How often do you see police in the neighborhood and do you feel any safer?

Chart1

11

15

4

Sales

Often

Enough

Not Enough

Sheet1

Sales

Often11

Enough15

Unsufficient4

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

Chart1

19

11

Yes

No

Sales

Sheet1

Sales

Yes19

No11

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

The amount of time we were in Jonesboro/Scott Park, we did not see any police patrolling. But residents say that the police patrols pretty frequently while some said they dont patrol enough or when they should. However more than half of residents say they do feel safer with the police presence there.*

PATRICES SECTION

LISAS SECTION

BRANDIS SECTION

PLAN OF ACTION

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Use your Is to fIght CrIme

After our research, we realized that there has been a few successful efforts made towards the jonesboro/scott park neighborhood. Non-profit organizations and city representatives have worked to help make this neighborhood back to what it used to be. However, there has also been a lot of broken promises made by people who meant well, but the efforts would fall through. Residents were a little bitter because they felt like they always witness an organization or the city saying that they want to help change the neighborhood, but dont see much change. So we figured that instead of having the residents constantly depend on others, we would help them help themselves. So we came up with the campaign, theres an I in CrIme. We need for residents to take responsibility for reporting incidents to the police and participating in the community watch.*

We plan on getting everyone together at one point and time to openly discuss the dynamics of the neighborhood and what needs to or does not need to be changed or addressed.Our Idea for getting everyone together included:-See if the departments are able to come out and have some type of community awareness day (when the departments come out personally and hear from the community themselves)We know that we as the mediators can only express each side so much, which is why we want to bring everyone together so that we not only get an understanding of what is needed but they get a personal understanding from one another.-What is it that the department themselves believe they can do to better assist this community? (Hearfrom the departments)Our roles as individuals is to reach out to the residents and find out what it is they are happy with, unhappy with, what they desire to see, and how they desire to see it be done.We as a group are naturally caring and compassionate and want to do what we can to help this community improve. As a collective we possess the qualities of intense listeners,organizers, and active mediators.

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*When we first took a look at what were going to be dealing with, we decided to incorporate one of the techniques that we learned in class. We knew that this plan was going to take research and then action. We knew that in order to make an effective change in this community, we needed to do our research. The Participatory Action Research process primarily guided us throughout project. We will also use this process to help us guide you through our presentation. The first step of the PAR process is Assessment Level. Lets take a look at the information that we gathered to help us implement an action plan.*Were now going to outweigh how the characteristics of Jonesboro Scott attributes to the crime problem. The neighborhood is over 100 years old, so generations have changed and the newer generations care has slowly withered. Which leads to my point about the amount of abandoned and foreclosed homes in jonesboro scott. Over time, families can no longer afford the homes or just decide to leave.More 60% of the homes in Jonesboro Scott are of single-parents. Because its difficult for single parents to take care of children, the life of crime makes it more possible for young people to resort to. Also the lack of visibility in the neighborhood makes it easy for crimes to be committed there.*Greensboros News & Record wrote an article 2 years ago regarding Jonesboro Scott Park called Building Trust By the whoosh of busty U.S. 29. The article interviewed residents of Jonesboro Scott and their experience living there. During that point the police had were progressively taking control over the neighborhoods trouble spots and the city was working on the neighborhood redevelopment plan. The article also reported that Neighbors called the police and city about absentee landlords, junked cars, prostitutes, drug dealers, even a plugged city drain. As they tell it, they didn't get anything but words. The article continues to speak about how the east market Street Development Corportation has diligently worked to renovate this neighborhood, but lack of willingness from the city and some resistence makes it that much harder. *This City program coordinates multiple departments to actively work in a problem area to have a strong, immediate impact on crime and other quality of life issues. Besides increased police patrols, the program has resulted in significant pressure from Local Ordinance Enforcement to clean up lots and vacant houses. The City also led a Safety Audit, essentially a moving focus group where residents walk with police and give them detailed information about the neighborhood. National Night Out, in its 25th year nationally, seeks to increase awareness ofcrimeand drug prevention and to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

*The neighborhood has a crime rate twice that of Greensboro, and three times higher than the citys violent crime rate. So we needed to identify what type of crimes were being committed. We first gathered information from the residents*The top response of this question was the drug issue in Jonesboro/Scott Park. Residents spoke on the number of drug dealers and consumers that reside in the neighborhood. One resident even stated that a couple of the dealers AND consumers come from NC A&T. Some of the abandoned homes and less visible areas are used for drug use and exchange. This is the same issue for prostitution. Most of the prostitutes live in the neighborhood or travel to the neighborhoods and perform activities in these same abandoned properties and less visible areas. Roberies and assaults were also two big issues. As well as gang activities and property damage.

DrugsProstitutionBurglaryAggravated AssaultVandalismGangsProperty Abuse*Overall, the neighborhood does not have a positive relationship with the police. Police is being seen as the enemy instead of the help to the neighborhood. Then again, the relationship between majority of african americans and the police has always been a negative one. *The amount of time we were in Jonesboro/Scott Park, we did not see any police patrolling. But residents say that the police patrols pretty frequently while some said they dont patrol enough or when they should. However more than half of residents say they do feel safer with the police presence there.*

*After our research, we realized that there has been a few successful efforts made towards the jonesboro/scott park neighborhood. Non-profit organizations and city representatives have worked to help make this neighborhood back to what it used to be. However, there has also been a lot of broken promises made by people who meant well, but the efforts would fall through. Residents were a little bitter because they felt like they always witness an organization or the city saying that they want to help change the neighborhood, but dont see much change. So we figured that instead of having the residents constantly depend on others, we would help them help themselves. So we came up with the campaign, theres an I in CrIme. We need for residents to take responsibility for reporting incidents to the police and participating in the community watch.*

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