07.02.10 | Scott Hosts Forum on the Youth PROMISE Act in Newport News

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, July 6, 2010, Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-Virginia) will host a forum to promote the Youth PROMISE Act. The Youth PROMISE Act (H.R. 1064) was introduced in February 2009 by Representative Scott and Representative Mike Castle (R-Delaware).

The community-based approach and focus of the Youth PROMISE Act will be the emphasis of the Tuesday evening forum at An Achievable Dream Middle & High School. The bill requires that all stakeholders in a community with an interest in the lives of juveniles to sit down together and form a Promise council. These stakeholders would include representatives from law enforcement, the school system, the local health and mental health service providers, juvenile courts and social services, faith based community, business interests, and parents and students. This council would be tasked to develop a comprehensive plan of evidence based practices tailored to that community with the goal of reducing juvenile crime and gang violence.

In anticipation of the Youth PROMISE Act becoming law, this forum will start some of the necessary discussions that would be precursors to the founding of a Promise council. Joining Rep. Scott will be Bud Ramey of People to People, and Bobby Kipper, Director of the National Center for the Prevention of Community Violence.

An Achievable Dream Middle & High School is located at 5720 Marshall Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23605. The forum will begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Congressman Scott's Newport News District Office at (757) 380-1000.

For more information on the Youth PROMSIE Act, please visit: /ypa.

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