Financing Child Care in the United States - Ewing Marion Kauffman ...

YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION (COLORADO)
DESCRIPTION
The Youth Crime Prevention and Intervention (YCPI)
grant program makes state funds available to
community–based crime and violence prevention or
intervention services that target children, youth and their
families. At least 20 percent of these funds have been
designated for children less than 9 years old.
WHEN ESTABLISHED
YCPI was established in 1994. The 20 percent set–aside
for the children's initiatives was established in 1996.
ANNUAL AMOUNT
A total of $8.37 million in state general revenue was
appropriated for YCPI in state fiscal year 1999–2000. At
least $1.4 million of this (the 20 percent set–aside) was
to be spent for children's initiatives.
SERVICES FUNDED
YCPI funds are intended to help expand existing
programs or to start new ones. The programs must
demonstrate the ability to reduce risk factors for later
crime or promote protective interventions. Some
examples include efforts that seek to strengthen the
bond with parents or other adults, promote healthy belief
systems and clear standards of behavior, and improve
family literacy and school success. The types of children's
initiatives that have been funded include school–age
child care start–up grants, a nurse (shared by several
early childhood programs) to conduct home visiting, a
parent mentoring program, a summer reading program
in the public schools and training for staff who work
with children who are at risk for later crime or are
exposed to violence.
HOW FUNDS DISTRIBUTED
Applications are reviewed by an 11–member board
(appointed by the governor and the legislature). Awards
are recommended by the board and approved by the
governor. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs,
Community Partnership Office, administers contracts and
monitors compliance.
POPULATION SERVED
The initiative is designed to serve youth and their families,
in an effort to reduce crime and violence. There are no
income guidelines. Rather, funding requests are expected
to compete with one another on the basis of their ability
to effectively address risk and protective factors in
communities of high need.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
• In response to growing juvenile violence, the governor
proposed several crime prevention strategies as well as
a host of detention strategies. Several key members of
the legislature agreed with him and were convinced
that early intervention (such as Head Start, school–age
child care, parenting initiatives, home visiting and other
community service strategies) could make a difference.
• The 20 percent set–aside sends a clear message to
child care and early education organizations that they
can play an important role in crime prevention, and it
encourages them to develop new intervention
strategies and community partnerships.
• Colorado has found that securing funds for early
education and intervention as a crime prevention
strategy is difficult. YCPI is still only a small grants
program, and it was established due to the leadership
of a few people.
• Data that demonstrate the effectiveness of the
strategy are needed. To this end, the state legislature
set aside 1 percent of the YCPI appropriation to
conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the program.
• The initiative has been very visible in several
communities and resulted in a group of teens who
are able to speak directly to legislators about the
program’s effectiveness.
OTHER SITES WITH SIMILAR STRATEGIES
No other programs demonstrating this strategy are
known.
CONTACTS
Esperanza Y. Zachman, Director
Community Partnership Office
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
1313 Sherman Street, #323
Denver, CO 80203
Phone (303) 866 4900
Fax (303) 866 4992
E–mail ey.zachman@state.co.us
Barbara O’Brien, Executive Director
Colorado Children’s Campaign
225 East 16th Avenue, Suite B300
Denver, CO 80203
Phone (303) 839 1580
Fax (303) 839 1354
E–mail 73554.1007@compuserve.com
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