Baylor To Support Juvenile Crime Prevention Effort

Through a $700,000 program sponsored by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, Baylor University's social work division will help develop a juvenile prevention program in Waco.
Baylor faculty and students will help citizens and community leaders who live in the 76707 zip code area to determine causes of juvenile crime and implement steps to address the problems.
Representatives of the Baylor social work division and the protective and regulatory service's Community Youth Development (CYD) program, which awarded the grant, will hold a community meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Greater New Light Baptist Church. The church recently relocated to 925 N. 18th St.
Since 1995, the CYD program has established similar initiatives in 11 other communities throughout Texas. Mario Mokarzel, program specialist for CYD, said grassroots efforts work more effectively than government mandates.
"We are giving communities an opportunity to take a proactive approach to juvenile crime," Mokarzel said. Other CYD programs have consisted of collaborative efforts between local and state agencies, civic groups, churches, businesses and schools.
Dr. Preston Dyer, professor and director of the Baylor social work division, said the university will benefit from this preventive crime effort as much as the Waco community.
"We have students who need to learn how to work in communities," Dyer said. "At the same time, we have lots of resources and technological know-how to contribute to the Waco community. "
For more information, contact Dyer at 710-6230.