Title
Calling on the leadership of the City of Philadelphia to implement the over 140 recommendations and next steps found in the Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia, such as expanding the safe school corridor program, ensuring witness relocation, creating a "helping hand" release program, examining firearm restrictions, reducing retail theft, examining drones, increasing the closure rate of homicides, supporting Philadelphia's youth, and instituting "The Promise Initiative."
Body
WHEREAS, On June 22, 2023, City Council unanimously passed Resolution #230555, introduced by Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. calling on the leadership of the City of Philadelphia, as well as state and federal partners, to develop an anti-crime and anti-gun violence summit that will create a forward-focused, solution-oriented game plan for the 100th Mayor's consideration; and
WHEREAS, On September 30, 2023, over 200 stakeholders from every background, including government, non-profits, the legal community, mental health advocates, and boots-on-the-ground credible messengers, came together for a crime summit at St. Joseph's University to develop The Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia. Advocates attended breakout rooms to address topics such as combating the threat of illegal guns, education and the school-to-prison pipeline, poverty, addressing mental health, alternatives to incarceration, law enforcement, the use of technology to combat crimes, collaboration with the private sector and boots-on-the-ground credible messengers, youth involvement in the criminal justice system, drill music and the music industry, combating specific types of crime, data, combating white institutional racism, and crafting a positive public messaging campaign. On December 21, 2023, Councilmember Jones unveiled the Blueprint and presented it to the 100th Mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle L. Parker (Exhibit A). The Blueprint was broken up into "problem," "solution," and "next steps." These include legislation a...
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