New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
Subtitle U - Division of Criminal Justice Services
Chapter V - Neighborhood Preservation Crime Prevention Act
Part 6160 - Neighborhood Preservation Crime Prevention Act Guidelines
Section 6160.1 - Introduction

(a) Experience in community crime prevention programs has shown that the most lasting positive results are achieved when the crime prevention effort is made by the people who inhabit the area affected by the crime problem. Therefore, the funding emphasis for this program will be on neighborhood crime prevention projects done by neighborhood residents on a volunteer basis. Special consideration will also be given to those projects proposing to address crimes against the elderly persons, and youth crime prevention. The "neighborhood" can be a residential one, a business one, or a school one. Proposed projects will also be analyzed in light of their potential for reproduction in other areas of the State.

(b) The overall goals are to encourage neighborhood participation in problem solving and crime prevention and to foster the growth of alliances among existing community organizations, elected officials, the private sector, and law enforcement in their shared responsibility for the control of crime. These in turn result in improved crime reporting, increased understanding of the criminal justice system, increased return of stolen property to owners, and increased willingness to bear witness in court.

(c) Successful projects to date have had several common elements, of which only a few can be written into grant-award contracts. Among these are the extensive involvement of volunteers (trained and organized) in the project, the willingness to help out other programs trying to get started or solve a problem, and an attitude of we-can-help-solve -our-own-problems-together.

(d) Neighborhood volunteers take pride in their work, and feel they have a stake in the project's success and in the improvement of quality of life in the area being served. They are the project's own best advertisement and source of recruitment efforts. Most important, crime goes down and the momentum of their success expands their efforts to other ways of improving their neighborhood (cleaning up the park, helping senior citizens do shopping, getting streetlights repaired, using the school for programs after hours, all week), which reinforce neighborhood cohesiveness and in turn help reduce crime.

(e) Funds made available under this act will be awarded on a competitive, merit basis. The application deadline(s) will be announced well in advance of its (their) occurrence(s), as established each year by the Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services.

(f) Regardless of the particular crime prevention activity, projects must be based on the substantial participation of people who live/work/attend school in the area being served. They must include volunteers in key roles and the bulk of the project activity must be done on a volunteer basis.

(g) Applicants should also demonstrate, where applicable, what other support and assistance is available in addition to that to be awarded under this act. This would include volunteer support other than the crime prevention activities (hours donated or tasks done); cash donations by individuals, businesses, or groups, for general purposes of the project or specific needs of a project activity; services provided (photocopying, office space, typing, artwork); materials or equipment provided; and the like.