|
Crime Update:
Memphis City Crime Update: January 1 to August 2009
From January 1 to the end of August 2009, overall crime was down 16%
including a drop in violent crime by 13.6% and a drop in property crime
by 16.5% across the City of Memphis, when compared to the same time
period in 2006.
Shelby County Sheriff's Office Crime Update: January 1 to August 2009
From January 1 to the end of August 2009, overall crime was down 1.2%
including a drop in property crime by 1.3% across Shelby County when
compared to the same time period in 2006.
Implementation of the strategic initiative to reduce crime, Operation:
Safe Community began in 2006. Crime statistics and updates are
systematically compared to 2006 as a benchmark for success towards full
implementation of the 5-year plan.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Raising Families. Erasing Violence. Public Event
Thursday, October 1, 2009 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Lindenwood Christian Church, 2400 Union Avenue
Guest Speaker Susan Still, national DV survivor and activist
The public is invited.
While
overall crime rates in the City of Memphis have declined consistently
within the last three years, domestic violence offenses are on the rise.
- Between 2008 and 2009, domestic violence offenses have increased by 7.4% in the city of Memphis. (Janikowski & Reed, 2009).
- In the last 3 1/2 years, there have been almost 30,000 reported domestic offenses in Memphis. (Janikowski & Reed, 2009).
- The
economic impact of domestic violence in Memphis and Shelby County is
estimated to be $45 million annually (The Tennessee Economic Council on
Women, 2006).
Strategy
14 of Operation: Safe Community calls for the implementation of a
coordinated domestic violence initiative with three major areas of
focus in a strategic effort to reduce domestic crimes in our community.
Led
by city of Memphis Councilman Reid Hedgepeth and Shelby County
Commissioner Deidre Malone and in partnership with many organizations,
we are making significant progress to combat domestic violence in
Memphis and Shelby County.
Focus Area #1 - Establish a Family Safety Center as a hub for victims services.
More
than $1.6 million has been raised from Shelby County, the City of
Memphis, federal grants and the private sector. Negotiations are
underway to secure a midtown location for the Family Safety Center
opening in early 2010.
The
facility will offer a safe and secured environment for victims of
domestic violence to receive services and ongoing support from law
enforcement, civil and criminal attorneys, counselors and other social
service providers.
Focus
Area #2 - Develop a Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence
(CCRDV) comprised of coordinated community resources, research,
community education and funding initiatives.
The
Erase Domestic Crime Collaborative (EDCC) recently initiated a
partnership with owners of large apartment complexes to launch a pilot
project to increase transitional shelter options for victims of
domestic violence.
The
EDCC, consisting of the Family Safety Center of Memphis & Shelby
County, Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc., Memphis Area Women's
Council, Memphis/Shelby County Domestic Violence Council, Shelby County
Crime Victims Center and the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, is also
hosting the Raising Families. Erasing Violence. public event to
increase awareness of the domestic violence epidemic in our community
on October 1, 2009 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Lindenwood Christian Church. Susan Still, survivor of 24 years of domestic violence, will be the guest speaker. For more information about the event click here.
Focus
Area #3 - Establish a Commission to design and implement judicial
system reform including consideration of the viability of a Unified
Family Court and a Domestic Violence Court.
On
September 1, 2009 the Shelby County Domestic Violence Court opened in
General Sessions Criminal Court Division 10 to provide consistent and
effective prosecution.
The
Tennessee State Legislature passed a bill giving General Sessions
Division 10 exclusive jurisdiction over domestic violence cases to,
once again, concentrate lawyers, law enforcement, victims and
perpetrators before one presiding judge, Judge Lee Wilson. The court
is currently hearing approximately 200 domestic violence cases a day.
|
Operation: Safe Community is
featured monthly on WREG Channel 3's "Live at Nine" hosted
by Mary Beth Conley and Alex Coleman.
Deborah Clubb will be this month's guest on September 29th.
Ms. Clubb is the executive director of the Memphis Area Women's Council
and plays a vital role in influencing and changing policies to improve
the lives of women in Shelby County.
The
Council serves as a strategic partner for Operation: Safe Community to
help establish a Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence.
Stay involved with some volunteer opportunities available from our partners ›
|
|
Click on the links below to find out more about each event.
Raising
Families. Erasing Violence.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Lindenwood Christian Church
A
visual display artistically expressing the impact of domestic violence
on families in Shelby County will be displayed as part of the SCDVC's
Clothesline Project. This informational event will also feature guest
speaker Susan Still. Read More>>
Clean Memphis - Downtown
Saturday, October 17, 2009
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Clean Memphis, Center City Commission, The Memphis Flyer and others
join forces for a major Downtown clean-up from Uptown to the Metal
Museum. Visit www.cleanmemphis.org to get involved!
Speakers Available for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October, 2009
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “Raising Families. Erasing Violence.” has coordinated a group of available community advocators to speak about the dynamics of domestic crime and the community’s response. To book a speaker for your meeting or event in October, please click here [PDF].
The State of the Child Conference 2009
Presented by the Tennessee Voices for Children
Sunday, October 18, 2009
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Be a part of this year’s conference, “Transforming Children’s Mental Health in Tennessee: Your Role in Connecting Systems!” The conference will run from October 18 – 21, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information please visit http://www.tnvoices.org/soc.
|
|