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In 1996, the Regional Youth
Criminal Justice Education Program started on four campuses, the first
program of its kind, as a means to address the region’s juvenile delinquency
concerns. Today, with funding through the Safe and Drug Free Schools and
Communities Grant from the Office of the Governor, the program is offered in
16 high schools throughout the region and provides youth and law enforcement
a unique opportunity to work together in a positive, constructive
environment. In addition to providing a quality, standard-based Criminal
Justice elective to area high school students, the Program also offers youth
related safety trainings for regional law enforcement, juvenile justice
professionals and school personnel.
While providing regional
youth an elective offering a multi-faceted look into the American Criminal
Justice System, through education and training, the program is intended to
help prevent crime and violence, deter students from underage drinking and
substance abuse, boost confidence and self-esteem, and encourage greater
community involvement and school participation.
In 2004, the program also
implemented the Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.)
Systems training. R.A.D. is a 12-hour class designed to increase women’s
awareness to their surroundings, as well as teach basic self-defense
techniques. R.A.D. Instructors have also collaborated with Regional Youth
to provide safety education for the Martinez Street Women's Center After
School Program.
In 2008, it is the vision
of Regional Youth to expand its services by collaborating with other
agencies for the common goal of providing more prevention education; and to
provide more awareness of the imperative issues of mental health and
childhood obesity.
In efforts to make
this vision a reality, Regional Youth is collaborating with the Children’s
Crisis Intervention Training (CCIT) Committee; Children’s Medical Director’s
Roundtable; and Youth Mental Heath Council-Education Sub-Committee; as well
as participation in the following trainings: Crimes Against Children
Conference; Juvenile Justice Association of Texas Conference; Attachment
Disorders Seminar; Reactive Attachment Disorder Seminar; PCAT Conference
(2007 & 2008);
Therapeutic Issues: Working With Schizophrenia and Related Disorders.
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