uide for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious ...

leaders must have the will and the leadership to focus
the community on prevention. They must commit to
institutionalizing a collaborative approach to riskfocused
prevention so that the necessary long-term
effort can be sustained independent of leadership
changes. They must have the ability to empower a
coalition of diverse community representatives to
work collaboratively to build a web of protection and
support for all children. The breadth and diversity of
this collaborative working group will determine the
success of prevention efforts.
Prevention strategies must reach and communicate
effectively with the population at risk. Effective prevention
programs address diverse populations and
empower people to take ownership of the program
techniques. Without this ownership, it is difficult to
apply even the most potent program with sufficient
vigor to change a neighborhood, family, or child. The
best outcomes are likely to result from combining
knowledge of effective prevention programs focused
on risk and protective factors with local ownership of
prevention initiatives.
Prevention programs should address those factors
that put children in a particular community at most
danger of developing serious criminal, violent, or
substance-abusing behavior. Addressing all risk factors
at once is likely to overburden the prevention
system. Each community should assess its unique risk
profile to select and design prevention strategies that
address the risk factors most dangerous in that
community.
Prevention strategies must be long term to realize the
full benefits—sustained efforts are required to change
and shape behavior patterns. Comprehensive,
communitywide prevention literally changes how
children are reared. For example, in programs using
home visitors to deliver services, long-term intervention
increases the likelihood that the mother and
home visitor will develop a trusting relationship in
which knowledge and skills can be shared, which in
turn can strengthen the mother’s commitment to her
own and her child’s development.
Comprehensive, communitywide prevention requires
collaboration and resource sharing. In most communities,
barriers must be broken down and collaborative
bridges built among and within agencies, organiza-
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tions, and groups with responsibility for addressing
juvenile delinquency. For example, schools must interact
more effectively with the community—including
business, senior organizations, local government,
social service and health agencies, and civic organizations—in
pursuing their educational goals. Just as
important, schools must become models of collaboration
by eliminating barriers between teachers, administrators,
special educators, educational assistants,
parent volunteers, and students and building bridges
that help them reach the goal of success for all young
people. Each organization, agency, and institution
must “get its own house in order” as well as reach out
to build collaborative relationships with others in the
community. Clearly success in this process requires a
sustained effort. Evidence from public health efforts
to affect community norms about smoking and highfat
diets demonstrates that community norms can be
changed. However, change requires long-term commitment
by the entire community.
Evidence from public health efforts
to affect community norms about
smoking and high-fat diets demonstrates
that community norms can
be changed.
Preventive strategies must be carried out by those
who have a strong commitment to prevention and
who are trained for specific intervention tasks. Service
providers, whether professionals or paraprofessionals,
must be well trained in the preventive methods
they are expected to implement. All staff require regular
inservice training, supportive supervision, and
sufficient compensation to promote high-quality services,
engage families and children in the intervention,
and reduce job stress.
Finally, expectations should be realistic. Good prevention
programs usually show modest to moderate benefits.
Reducing crime, violence, and substance abuse
requires sustained, communitywide efforts directed at
all developmental stages and across all the influential
domains affecting children’s behavior.