Setting Up a Neighborhood Watch Program

From Examiner.com - Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program joining citizens and law enforcement, with the citizens keeping a trained eye and ear on their communities to make them safe. The program, sponsored by the National Sheriff’s Administration (NSA), took off quickly: in just ten years, 12 percent of the population was involved in a Neighborhood Watch, according to NSA.

For valuable tips on how to start your own Neighborhood Watch Program click here.

Drug-Related Crime Prevention: Seizure Money to Help Addicted Homeless

Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin says it costs less to help the homeless than to book them on misdemeanor drug violations.

From the Turlock Journal - A faith-based group dedicated to helping homeless drug addicts is receiving some help from the Merced County Sheriff's Department in the form of $30,000 in cash. The $30,000 donation is from asset seizure money the sheriff's department has collected. The money will be given to the United Way Foundation and earmarked to benefit the Merced County Rescue Mission.

The Merced County Rescue Mission plans to use the money to run a one-month long pilot program that will provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to homeless drug addicts.

The hope is that the work the mission does with the homeless addicts will result in a decrease in drug-related offenses. Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said it costs less to help the homeless than to book them into jail for misdemeanor drug violations."The idea is to keep the mission providing a service so desperately needed as funds are being cut and as the number of homeless are on the rise," MacKenzie said.

Read the complete story here in the Turlock Journal .