[TGE-mail] Message from Alderman Kacie Starr Triplett

Tue Jul 31 22:12:31 CDT 2007

I find the concept of the NAB interesting.  Before I sign my name to a petition, however, I would like to know how such a program has worked elswhere.  Have the youthful offenders mended their ways?  What are the consequences if the youths or their parents do not comply with the plan?  I also find it interesting that assault is listed among minor offenses.  I believe the woman knocked down by the "Knock-out Kings" in Tower Grove Park a little over a year ago and the men accosted on Halliday during last year's Night Out Against Crime  might consider the personal crime of assault, even by a juvenile and in both these cases multiple muscled juveniles, anything but minor. Just putting a program in place does not solve a problem, especially if the program turns out to be more political capital than a workable strategy.  
And, please do not attempt to elicit my cooperation by suggesting I talk about the crime but do nothing about it.
Cheryl Blake
35XX Pestalozzi

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From: tgena-bounces at lists.more.net on behalf of Kacie Triplett
Sent: Thu 7/26/2007 11:58 AM
To: tgena at lists.more.net
Subject: [TGE-mail] Message from Alderman Kacie Starr Triplett

Dear TGE Residents:

I have heard you loud and clear. Many of you have emailed me and called me about the recent crimes our neighborhood has experienced. In an effort to crack down on these crimes, I need YOUR support. I am petitioning the Juvenile Court system to establish a Neighborhood Accountability Board solely for the Tower Grove East neighborhood. This will be the first of its kind for a neighborhood in the City of St. Louis.  

A Neighborhood Accountability Board is an organization created by the Juvenile Courts to crack down on youth offenders. (Many of the car break ins, vandelism and theft experienced throughout our neighborhood are committed by youth under the age of 18. The 63118 zip code has one of the highest crimes by youth offenders in the City.) The Neighborhood Accountability Board would consist of Tower Grove East residents who would undergo training through the Juvenile Court system, they would assemble themselves as a community court and decide on "punishment" for the youth who has committed a crime in the neighborhood.

 Many times these "punishments" are community service requirements that must be fulfilled in the neighborhood. (We have plenty of areas in Tower Grove East where our youth offenders can help out ie: cleaning debris, trash, washing windows of business storefronts, helping out at the police substation, etc). The Neighborhood Accountability Board requires parental particpation by the youth offenders which is another plus. The main purpose of the NAB is to get the community involved and also for the offender to realize the damage he/she causes the community when crimes are committed.

In order for this effort to be successful we must show that our community wants this type of program and needs this type of program. The Juvenile Courts are applying for a grant to hire staff to monitor a new NAB program, and we want the program in Tower Grove East.

Attached you will find documents explaining the program more and also a petition letter that you can sign with your mailing address and contact information. Please sign the document and submit back to me via email, mail or fax. This takes about 5 minutes to do. We always have people complaining about crime in our community or the police not doing what they should, etc. Lets show the City how Tower Grove East came together to take back our neighborhood and worked with the misguided and misled youth in our neighborhood. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am asking for all petitions to be signed and returned to me by August 13th. Please read the attached documents and sign your petition today.

Let's take action as a community!

Ald. Kacie Starr Triplett

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Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! 
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