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"Every citizen of this country should be guaranteed that their vote matters, that their vote is counted, and that in the voting booth, their vote has a much weight as that of any CEO, any member of Congress, or any President."  -- Barbara Boxer

"…jingoism, racism, fear, religious fundamentalism: these are the ways of appealing to people if you're trying to organize a mass base of support for policies that are really intended to crush them." -- Noam Chomsky

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION STRATEGIES: COA

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Introduction to social history and political consciousness around the conditions that create and perpetuate violence in urban communities; examination of the historical and contemporary issues around violence and the variety of impacts it has on society; review of approaches toward healing and revitalizing communities that are affected by violence; overview of the field of violence prevention; overview of various intervention strategies to prevent violence and build healthy communities. There is also an optional 60-75 hour community service requirement that can also count for cooperative education credit for those enrolled in the certificate program.

READINGS
  1. Toward the Next Generation of Bystander Prevention of Sexual and Relationship Violence: Action Coils to Engage Communities (SpringerBriefs in Criminology)
  2. Violence Prevention Workbook
  3. Alexander (2010) The New Jim Crow
DUE DATES
Blog - Participation Points - As assigned
Community Assessment - Wednesday, Feb 3rd
Practitioner Interview - Wednesday, March 16th
Ideas to Application - Wednesday, March 23rd
Creative Solutions for Change Poster - Monday, April 4th Commentary on Alameda County Blueprint - Wednesday, April 20
Grant writing project - final - Wednesday, May 18th

Other readings:
1) Oppression & Democracy
2) Disenfranchisement of Ex-Felons
3) Black Youth Rising
4) Alameda County Blueprint Overview
5) King Center Glossary of Terms
6) Spectrum of Prevention
ASSIGNMENTS

Community Assessment /(30 points)
Ideas to Application: Video Analysis  /(40 points)
Commentary on the Alameda County Blueprint for Violence Prevention /(100 points)
Practitioner Interviews (2/(35 each = 70 points)
List of Violence Prevention Organizations
Practitioner Interview (2 @ 35pts/each)             (70 points)
Creative Solutions for Change Poster Presentations/(100 points)
In-class powerpoint - group work assignment
Final - Grant Writing Project – (individually or in groups) /
(100 points)

Participation – weekly attendance/blog (mandatory) /(160 points)  




OBJECTIVES; by the end of this course, you will have learned how to:
1. Identify the various types of violence that exist in urban communities
2. Describe the multiple conditions that create and perpetuate violence in urban communities
3. Demonstrate an understanding of historical and contemporary issues around violence and its impact on society
4. Explore different theories and explain different approaches toward healing and revitalizing communities that are affected by violence
5. Describe and explain the landscape of the field of violence prevention
6. Describe the various intervention strategies to prevent violence and build healthy communities
7. Construct a level of political consciousness around urban violence, peace work and violence prevention within the community
8.  Articulate and evaluate a concept of a career direction in the field of violence prevention

What you’ll be able to do with this is:
1.       You will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the theory (an overall working knowledge of historical background and foundational principles) and practice of the field of violence prevention and healthy community building.
2.       You will be able to demonstrate the skills of critical evaluation and application of these ideas (of violence prevention) in various contexts, which you’ll have learned about – and in your role in building healthy community.
3.       You will be able to articulate how to effectively apply these principles and skills in violence prevention and healthy community building in your own life as professionals and as people living in your own community.


Additional Comments

Late Policy: I will not accept late work unless there are extreme circumstances that prevent you from maintaining your schedule and turning in your assignments when they are due.

Extra Credit: You will be able to get a total of 50 points extra credit in this course. You can obtain extra credit by completing a review of an article, relevant report or a documentary about a political or social issue that is pertinent to the course. All extra credit materials need to be approved by the instructor, verbal approval is all that is needed. Your review should be single space, one page, times new roman. In your review answer the following questions: 1) Summarize the film/report/article, 2) Give two or three examples of how the film/report/article relates to a topic we've discussed in the course, 3) What is your opinion of the content in the film/report/article?
Contacting the instructor: You may email the instructor at ccrain@peralta.edu.
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE COURSE
  • Epidemiology of Violence
  • Definition of Community
  • Defining and Understanding different aspects of Community vs State Violence
  • Conditions that Create and Perpetrate Violence
  • Examination of the Social Context of Urban Violence and the Political Landscape
  • Historical and Contemporary Issues around Violence
  • Approaches towards Healing and Revitalizing Communities
  • Landscape of Community Based Violence Prevention Practitioners
  • Strategies Toward Preventing Violence and Building Healthy Communities
  • Assessing of Career & Service Opportunities
  • Leadership Development
  • Personal and Professional Growth

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