[Congressional Bills 111th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Con. Res. 227 Introduced in House (IH)] 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 227 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Urban Crimes Awareness Week. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2010 Mr. Towns (for himself, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Sires, and Ms. Norton) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Urban Crimes Awareness Week. Whereas National Urban Crimes Awareness Week will be celebrated the second week in February 2010; Whereas 48,430 violent crimes occurred in New York City in 2008, compared to 28,941 in non-New York City counties; Whereas an estimated 1,382,012 violent crimes occurred nationwide in 2008; Whereas over 6,000,000 people were victims of crime in 2008; Whereas according to the 2008 National Crime Victimization Survey, African- Americans experienced higher rates than Whites of every violent crime except simple assault; Whereas the act of violence or the crime causes pain and disruption that can have lasting effects; Whereas statistics show that once an individual has experienced, witnessed, or lived with violence, their likelihood of being victimized again, or becoming a perpetrator themselves increases significantly; Whereas research has shown that exposure to violence has damaging consequences for the physical and mental health of youth and their long-term functioning and well-being as adults; Whereas data suggests that more than 60 percent of the Nation's youth have been exposed to violence within the past year; Whereas studies have shown that increased rates of violence and unemployment are directly correlated; Whereas in September 2009, 133 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates above the national average; Whereas the rate of unemployment for minorities such as Black and Latino groups is nearly 20 percent; Whereas the number of crimes can be reduced if community members are taught crime prevention techniques and become more involved in crime prevention activities; Whereas neighborhood crime contributes to community neglect and disintegration; and Whereas numerous studies demonstrate the evidence-based prevention and intervention programs can reduce delinquency and serious juvenile crime: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That-- (1) it is the sense of Congress that-- (A) National Urban Crimes Awareness Week provides a special opportunity to educate the people of the United States about urban violence and to take steps to encourage the prevention of urban violence, provide assistance, and support to crime victims; (B) it is appropriate to properly acknowledge the more than 209,000 men and women who have been victims of urban violence in the United States each year, and to commend the efforts of survivors, volunteers, and professionals who work to prevent urban violence; (C) national and community organizations and private sector supporters should be recognized and applauded for their work in promoting awareness about urban violent crimes, providing information and treatment to victims, families, and survivors, and increasing the number of successful prosecutions of its perpetrators; (D) public safety, law enforcement, and health professionals should be recognized and applauded for their hard work and innovative strategies to increase the percentage of violent urban crime cases that result in the prosecution and incarceration of the offenders; and (E) victim advocates and criminal justice professionals should be recognized, applauded, and encouraged for their work to establish effective programs as alternatives to incarceration, re-entry interventions for offenders who are completing sentences, and rehabilitation programs for offenders and victims alike; and (2) Congress-- (A) strongly recommends national and community organizations, businesses in the private sector, colleges and universities, and the media to promote through education and prevention measures, awareness of violent urban crimes and strategies to decrease the incidence of these crimes; and (B) supports the goals and ideals of National Urban Crimes Awareness Week. <all>