YOUNGSTOWN Summit will address crime

Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey Jr. from Washington will speak.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The answers from roughly 8,500 crime-related surveys will be used to identify topics for the daylong Youngstown Community Summit on March 10.
The summit, a follow-up to last summer's Gun Reduction Interdiction Project, will be held at Youngstown State University. The theme is "reducing violence and improving our neighborhoods."
The summit will feature guest speakers, including Attorney General John Ashcroft's deputy -- James B. Comey Jr. Comey's topic is "The view from Washington."
Another speaker is Drew Diamond, deputy director, Police Executive Research Forum, Tulsa, Okla., who will discuss "What works around the U.S."
Sponsors of the summit include U.S. Attorney Greg White, based in Cleveland; YSU; Youngstown Ministerial Alliance; Mayor's Task Force on Crime and Violence Prevention; Community Corrections Association Inc.; Youngstown Rotary; Youngstown Weed and Seed; Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber; Youngstown 2010; and Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods.
Last September, White suggested an anti-violence summit. He said his office would participate if community leaders wanted to explore long-range solutions.
Survey questions
The first surveys, which contain 38 mostly crime and quality-of-life questions, were sent to 8,202 residents randomly chosen by census tracts, said Rick George, associate director at YSU's Center for Human Services. He said the number represents about 10 percent of the city's population.
The questions include:
UWhat are the biggest problems in your neighborhood?
UPlease rank the following crimes from 1 to 7, placing a 1 next to the most severe problem: Assault, drug activity, loitering, homicide, prostitution, robbery/burglary, domestic violence.
UHave you been a victim of crime or witnessed a crime in the last year?
UHow can crime be reduced in your neighborhood? (Pick no more than three of the nine choices).
UDo you believe law enforcement is doing a good job in your neighborhood?
UHave you had a problem within the last year with any of the following city departments? (14 departments listed).
The survey asks for the respondent's age, sex, race, side of town, marital and job status and whether they own or rent.
Businesses, block watches
George said surveys would be mailed today to 300 businesses in the city. The questions will be similar to those asked of residents but will also ask if the business is considering moving.
Next week, surveys will go out to roughly 30 block watches.
George said YSU students will input the surveys' responses into a computer. Analysis of the data will be provided to the committee overseeing the summit.
About 600 invitations will go out to those chosen by the summit's planning committee to participate in the event, said Richard J. Billak, CCA chief executive officer. He said participants will be people who live in the neighborhoods and others who care about the neighborhoods.
The anti-violence summit will have break-out sessions to allow small groups to meet and brainstorm. The groups will be asked to develop one "doable project" that will move the community forward, according to the invitation signed by White, Mayor George M. McKelvey and YSU President David C. Sweet.
meade@vindy.com