What is Weed and Seed?
Operation Weed and Seed is a Department of Justice initiative that employs an innovative and comprehensive multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization.
Operation Weed and Seed is foremost a strategy--rather than a grant program-- which aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the country. Weed and Seed sites range in size from several neighborhood blocks to 15 square miles. The strategy involves a two-pronged approach: law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" criminals who participate in violent crime and drug abuse, attempting to prevent their return to the targeted area; and "seeding" brings human services to the area, encompassing prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization.
The primary element of the "weeding" strategy is law enforcement activities aimed at targeting, apprehending, and incapacitating violent street criminals. Community policing is the element of the strategy that serves as a bridge between the "weeding" (law enforcement) and "seeding" (neighborhood restoration) components. Under community policing, law enforcement works closely with community residents to develop solutions to violent and drug-related crime. This partnership in turn fosters a sense of responsibility within the community and serves as a stimulus for community mobilization. The "seeding" elements include prevention, intervention, and treatment which focuses on delivering an array of youth- and adult- oriented human services to develop positive community attitudes toward combating narcotics use and trafficking, as well as neighborhood restoration which focuses on economic development activities designed to strengthen legitimate institutions.
What Is the Role of the United States Attorney?
At each site, the United States Attorney provides leadership to the community leaders coordinating the strategy; convenes a core group of community officials in a "working committee," then assists the local site in selecting and convening a Steering Committee; serves as Chair of the Steering Committee; and initiates the planning activities.
The Community Capacity Development Office
The Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) operates within the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
Director, Nelson Hernandez, and his staff oversee a total of 280 Weed and Seed Sites throughout the United States. CCDO can be contacted at (202) 616-1152. Its website can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo
Northern District of Alabama Sites
Birmingham
Northside Community Weed and Seed was officially recognized as a Weed and Seed site in January 2002. The Office of Justice Programs, Executive Office for Weed & Seed awarded $225,000.00 in grant funds to this site in October 2003. This site is one of 23 community areas in the City of Birmingham, known as the Northside Community. The Northside Community consists of five neighborhoods, three of which have been selected as a Weed and Seed site. This designated area consists of Central City, Druid Hills, and Norwood neighborhoods, which has approximately 10,300 residents and 4,300 households.
The Steering Committee include residents, city government officials, representatives from local and federal law enforcement agencies and the United States Attorney's Office, as well as public and private agencies and organizations. The Steering Committee meets on a monthly basis. They're responsible for managing the budget; implementing policies and procedures; establishing plans, objectives and goals; assessing program achievements; and ensuring that the program is meeting its goals in accordance with the established strategy.
The Site Coordinator's duties include coordinating schedules of program volunteers; recruiting service providers and participants to the Weed and Seed Program; pursuing additional sources of funding for the Weed and Seed Program, including working with agency staff to pursue grant sources and grant writing; collecting data on program activities and participants; drafting policies and procedures for the operation of a safe haven; working with law enforcement officials to coordinate local activities related to community-oriented policing activities and conducting the day-to-day activities of the program.
As part of the Northern District of Alabama's Drug Demand Reduction Initiative program, Northside Community Weed and Seed has established a partnership with the Department of the Navy's Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) program. The local DEFY program is sponsored by the Naval and Marine Reserve Center located in Bessemer, Alabama. Community-based demand reduction efforts involve law enforcement and community organizations working in cooperation to reduce the demand for illegal drugs through public awareness, education, and treatment.
DEFY is a one year, multi-phase program consisting of a 5 - 8 day summer training camp and a school-year mentoring program that targets youth ages 9 to 12. This comprehensive program reduces risk and strengthens protective factors which scientific research has directly linked to adolescent alcohol and drug abuse, school failure, delinquency, and violence. The goals are to develop relationships between youth and positive adult role models, deliver life skills-training, and deter drug use and gang involvement.
Contact Information for the Northside Community Weed and Seed Program:
Ms. Terrie Lee Burrell
1528 Carraway Boulevard
Suite 444, Birmingham, Alabama 35234
Phone: (205) 502-4701
Terry Heights Weed and Seed Program Huntsville, AL (1998-2003)
The Terry Heights Weed and Seed Program was very successful. This site became an officially recognized Weed and Seed site in 1998 and received funding for its program from 1998 to 2003. This community is located in northwest Huntsville, Alabama.
The crime rate in this community has been significantly reduced due to the collaborative efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement. In a newspaper article it was reported that residents state it's a better place to live and that they can see good results from the program. Below are a few of the highlighted successes:
The Weed and Seed Program provided residents with substance abuse education, adult computer literacy training, educational enrichment, mentoring for youth, recreational activities for all ages, and mental health programs.
Weed and Seed donated funds to help establish the HEALS Clinic (Health Establishment at Local Schools) located at Terry Heights Elementary School. This clinic opened in September 2001 and provides free family medical care to the residents.
In 2003 the Domestic Violence Intervention Project was implemented within the Terry Heights neighborhood and won a National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Merit Award. This project is a joint venture between employees and volunteers from Crisis Services of North Alabama, the Madison county Sheriff's Office, and the Huntsville Police Department. The goals and objectives of this project are to: provide follow-up service to victims of domestic violence/family abuse; reduce recidivism, prevent minor incidents from escalating into major crimes, identify current problems existing within the home, and provide intervention.
Some of the programs that were implemented during 1998 - 2003 have continued under the oversight of the Terry Heights/Hillendale Neighborhood Association.