PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
February 29, 2004
Phillip M. Taylor, PMTSD, 843-542-2740
Todd Post, NCPC, 202-261-4138

Local Youth Begin Work on Campaign To Help
Teen Victims of Crime

WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA: Teens are the most victimized segment of the population, yet many teen victims do not report crimes against them and don’t know where to turn for help. To raise awareness among youth about victimization and resources that can help teenage victims of crime, youth and adults from The Phillip Martin Taylor School of Discipline will launch a public education campaign as part of the national Youth Outreach for Victim Assistance (YOVA) project. The Phillip Martin Taylor School of Discipline was selected by the National Crime Prevention Council and the National Center for Victims of Crime as one of only twenty sites nationwide to receive funding to develop a campaign around teen victimization.

Phillip M. Taylor, Sr., Rolets Buckner and youth leaders Demia Magwood and Jaquawna Terry represented The Phillip Martin Taylor School of Discipline at the national YOVA training held February 7–9, 2004 in Dallas, Texas. The training brought together participants from each YOVA site, including Alaska, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Training participants learned about teen victimization; developed campaign messages and activities encouraging teen victims to seek help; and practiced communicating their messages through press releases, skits, brochures, public service announcements, and posters. “It was exciting to meet people from other states and to learn about the things they experience in their community. Each site shared facts about their community and offered ideas about action projects and strategies to offer in other communities ,” said Terry.

The YOVA project taps teens’ creativity and knowledge to implement the campaigns. “One of the greatest barriers teenage victims of crime face is recognizing that what’s happened to them is wrong and then knowing where to turn for help,” said Susan Herman, the Executive Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime. “Since teenagers trust and respect their peers, public outreach campaigns designed by teens are an excellent way to overcome these barriers.”

Jack Calhoun, President and CEO of the National Crime Prevention Council said, “Youth are incredible resources in a community. They cannot be labeled simply as disengaged troublemakers; in fact, youth can become leaders when given opportunities to be involved in projects that serve their schools and communities. Youth bring to the table valuable skills that make them integral parts of any outreach effort.”

YOVA receives support from the Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs. For more information about OJP consult the website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. For more information about the National Crime Prevention Council, visit www.ncpc.org. For more information about the National Center for Victims of Crime, visit www.ncvc.org.