Coalition

Multisector collaboration is an essential element of successful violence reduction. The UNITY Assessment of Youth Violence Prevention Activities in the U.S.A. Cities revealed that “cities with the greatest coordination and communication across sectors also had the lowest rates of youth violence.” *

City of Salinas CA and Monterey County organizations involved with violent crime and juveniles joined forces in 2009. The coalition started with government leaders including the Salinas Police, County Sheriff, District Attorney, Probation, Behavioral Health, Social Services, the County Superintendent of Schools and was chaired by the City Mayor and Juvenile Court Judge. Their focus was on intervening with gang members and arresting violent offenders, with minimal discussion of prevention.

Through City and County collaboration the coalition, now called the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP), has grown to over 60 organizations and individuals, with a strong emphasis on prevention, as well as intervention, enforcement and re-entry. The City’s Community Safety Division provides a City Administrator to serve as Director of CASP and staff serves as the “backbone agency” in this collective impact approach. CASP is co-chaired by the City Mayor and a County Supervisor.

CASP has several active Committees, including the Strategic Work Plan Committee charged with updating the City’s Strategic Plan. The current draft is available on the City’s website, entitled “ Salinas Comprehensive Strategy for Community-wide Violence Reduction 2013-2018.”