ABOUT THE SHOW

SEATTLE CHANNEL, Town Hall and CityClub came together to create Seattle Speaks -- a unique, multi-media town hall for the 21st century to create compelling television on the crisis of youth violence.

We put together young people who know violence first-hand on the streets, a former gang member, Seattle City Councilmember and longtime youth mentor Bruce Harrell, Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Jim Pugel and the City's Youth Violence Prevention Initiative Director Mariko Lockhart. SEATTLE CHANNEL's dynamic public affairs host C.R. Douglas led the lively discussion.

Members of the studio audience were provided a polling device that allowed the Channel to collect real-time data on how they are responding to the dialogue -- view poll results (pdf). In addition, over 70 young people at three locations -- the Garfield Teen Life Center, the Rainier Valley Teen Center and the Southwest Teen Life Center -- watched the program live and responded on-line to our quick polls and sent in emails. Home TV viewers also participated by sending in their questions and comments and taking surveys via our website www.seattlechannel.org.

BACKGROUND

In 2008, five teenagers were shot to death in Seattle. While violent crime has been on the decline, violent juvenile crime has remained steady at around 800 incidents every year from 2003-07. In September 2008, Mayor Greg Nickels launched a new initiative to end the killings and the assaults. "We will not stand for this violence; it has to stop," said Nickels. The Mayor pledged $9 million for the effort. So has it made a difference? What do teenagers whose lives have been directly impacted by violence think?

QUICK POLL

EMAIL COMMENTS

The follow is a selection of questions and comments sent in during the live Seattle Speaks: Youth Violence show. If you'd like to share your thoughts on youth violence or submit ideas for upcoming Seattle Speaks shows please contact us at contact@seattlechannel.org

Do a longitudinal feature on a half-dozen of the kids who said the most interesting comments. Follow up with them six months, one year, etc. from now. That would be compelling television, and would make a difference in individual lives and this community. -- Porgy

I am a Seattle Police officer plus the single parent of 13 year old. I also am a lifelong city resident. I would love it of there were a curriculum in the schools for us to learn how to communicate with each other. It's important for the Seattle youth to understand that there is a reason for most everything we do but it can't always be explained in the heat of the moment. The police have a paramount obligation to enforce the law, investigate criminal activity, and present those responsible for prosecution. That's how we keep the city safe. In order to do that, we need to take steps to secure our safety and that is not always pleasant. -- Eric

I Liked This Conversation Because They Actually Let The Youngesters Speak Up And About How The Feel On The Community! Just Listen To Their Voice And Make It A Little Better Than It Is Now,, So Our Kids In The Future Can Feel More Safe. -- Aaliyah

i wish my community would change right away... i cant stand another day out here. it's gettin harder and harder i shouldn't have to watch my back everyday. or everywhere i go. its just not fair. -- Jakayla

I feel like young people dont have the same lives as the young people did years ago. people are so concerned about what people think about them that they don't care that their lives are in danger. they're puttin gangs and the streets before their life and their family -- demicko

!80 is not working The YMCA street soldiers is working. MAD will change things. -- Concerned Central District Citizen

I think more needs to be done. More people need to keep watch. More teens need to be informed. More teens need to be talked and LISTENED to. Adults tend to talk at teens and expect them to listen, yet the adults themselves could care less what the teen has to say. -- anonymous

i personally think that adults don't care. they haven't been as concerned as they are now that the police officer has gotten killed.they haven't given up yet but if it were a child they would have given up by now. i don't think that young adults have as much power as the adults do. it makes no sense -- Lawanna

It looks like a lot of the violence are coming from youth with broken homes, what is the city doing economically to make sure the household of these communities are well suited to raise a family? because that is the foundation -- from the garfield teen center

What kind of programs are they creating for the youths to make money instead of selling drugs? -- garfield teen center

How are you spending the money on us? and how are we benefiting? how can you guys verify that we are benefiting? -- garfield teen center

What is it going to take for the youth violence to stop? do you guys think the $8million dollars is enough? -- Erica from Garfield teen center

i don't feel safe because people always getten killed and its like u can turn the corner and there someone going heads up and fightin or getten jump or something and its like am i ganna get jump or something for my phone or stuff but i just dont feel safe and its like people getten rap and more so i just dont feel self in the world -- d.rock

why would you work so hard to find the person who killed cop but yet when piere, quincy, and streetz got killed you still haven't found the ppl who killed them -- j-boogy

I have friends who just last week were jumped and his ipod touch got stolen. Youth violence is a really big issue that doesn't seem to be getting any smaller despite the efforts the city claims to be taking. I can't walk in my school's neighborhood without being afraid that someone's following me. It's not a good feeling at all. -- Miyuki

This was a excellent video inspired alot of young people to think about life and if this is just a trend or the real world !! -- Sharonda

I have two teenagers that will start high school next year. What are three things I might tell them to do that may help them avoid becoming a victim of violence? -- Lisa

LINKS

Learn more about the Initiative:
Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative

Find resources and make connections:
4C Coalition Mentor Program
Alliance for Education
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Casey Family Program
City Year Seattle- King County
El Centro De La Raza
Seattle Parks and Recreations
Southwest Youth and Family Services
United Way of King County
Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Washington State's "Opportunity Pathway" program
YMCA of Greater Seattle
Youth Ambassadors
Youth Ventures

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