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Criminal justice fair provides information
Criminal justice fair
Gallery
The fourth annual Youngstown North Side Weed and Seed Criminal Justice Fair was held Saturday at Heart Reach Ministries.
Many older people are using computers, which makes them more susceptible to being victims of the crime, information of which was part of Saturday’s fifth annual Criminal Justice Fair at Heart Reach Ministries on Youngstown’s North Side. Facts about identity theft:
Thieves often get personal information by stealing records from employers as well as credit- and debit-card numbers with a practice called skimming; hacking into computers; rummaging through trash; completing change-of-address forms to divert mail to another location; and posing as legitimate business people or government officials.
Once they have such information, criminals typically go on spending sprees with victims’ credit-card numbers and open a new account with such information.
Many thieves also change mailing addresses and rack up charges on the account, take out fraudulent loans, open bank accounts from which they write bad checks, file for bankruptcy to avoid paying incurred debts and give the person’s name to police during an arrest.
Keys to avoiding falling victim include placing passwords on credit-card, phone and bank accounts, securing personal information, shredding sensitive documents and providing Social Security numbers as well as other personal information only when absolutely necessary — and never to strangers.
Computer safeguards include updating virus-protection software regularly, downloading only familiar files, installing firewall or similar protections to prevent hackers from accessing sensitive information, using a secure browser and keeping a secret password.
Victims should place a fraud alert on and review credit reports, close any fraudulent accounts and file a report with local police or the law-
enforcement agency where the crime occurred. They also are encouraged to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
To place such an alert, call Equifax at 800-525-6285,
Experian at 888-397-3742 or TransUnion at 800-680-7289. One credit bureau will contact the other two, and all three reports will be sent free of charge.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Crime-prevention tools are numerous, but some are as simple as making the criminal see the light — literally.
“We are very involved in having the city and Ohio Edison work on lighting in the area,” said Valeria Goncalves, chairwoman of the Love Your Neighbor Block Watch. “A thief, or anyone doing anything wrong, doesn’t want to be seen.”
Goncalves was one of a few dozen vendors who provided information on crime prevention, fire safety and numerous other topics during Saturday’s fourth annual Youngstown North Side Weed and Seed Criminal Justice Fair at Heart Reach Ministries, 211 Redondo Road, on the city’s North Side.
The main purpose of the free, five-hour event was to give residents a chance to meet with various criminal-justice departments including police, as well as corrections and judicial officials.
Also on hand were members of the Alliance of Guardian Angels Inc., who have started patrolling some of Youngstown’s streets.
The Love Your Neighbor group has about 50 members and covers many Brier Hill neighborhoods near Belmont and Arlington avenues, Wirt Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Goncalves explained.
A main focus of the group is to get better lighting to deter criminal activity in the neighborhoods, she continued. Another is to have safe, clean grocery stores that provide fresh foods and vegetables; some sell more alcoholic beverages than healthful foods, she said.
The block watch also is trying to demolish certain vacant homes and rehabilitate others, Goncalves said, adding that gardens will be planted on many empty parcels.
The Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center is about a lot more than dealing with delinquent teens, noted Kevin Jackson, director. One of its many offerings is a sports program that promotes teamwork and cooperation.
The year-round, familylike program goes throughout the city to steer youngsters toward making positive choices, in part by providing basketball, bowling, flag football and other sports, he explained.
“Instead of the streets taking our youth, we’re taking them back,” said Jackson, adding that he tries to include parents and will make referrals for some troubled young people.
Most youngsters need a sense of belonging and will seek it in negative ways if positive choices aren’t available, Jackson said.
The fair had information on youth and domestic violence, a Youngstown Police Department mentoring program, fire safety, mental illness, mammograms, Medicaid and several health problems such as asthma, HIV and high cholesterol.
Also available were representatives from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department’s senior citizens unit, the Youngstown City Health Department and the Youngstown Office of Minority Health.
An increasing number of older people are using the Internet, so it’s critical they take steps to protect themselves, explained Felicia Alexander, director of the minority-health office.
They should refrain from giving personal information online, including dates of birth, and should never give out passwords except to family members they can trust, she explained. In addition, Alexander said, a confidential password protects older people’s information from being compromised, even if their computer is stolen.
Plenty of activities kept youngsters entertained, and many gathered to watch a doughnut-eating contest in which each of six contestants was given 12 doughnuts to eat as many as possible in three minutes.
The winner was Monty Robinson, a Heart Reach member, who received a plaque for eating nearly six of the treats. Also competing was his twin sister, Monique.
The criminal-justice fair also featured drawings to win gift cards; performances and skits by the Market Street Muppets, a Christian-based show that promotes messages of nonviolence; and a magic show by Ronald McDonald.
“Every year, we try to provide information tables, and to let kids see law enforcement in a positive way,” said Terri Bryant, a Weed and Seed coordinator.