Safe Passage Program for LA County Youth

Community safety

South LA County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Traditional public safety models in LA rely on law enforcement, resulting in criminalization of Black and Brown communities. When youth rely on public transportation, they risk negative encounters with law enforcement. Between 2005-2017, ~16,000 youth went to hospitals due to police encounters in CA, with Black youth experiencing incidents 4-7x more than white counterparts; police encounters lead to other safety concerns, including long-term system involvement/mental health issues. (JAMA Pediatrics 1, 2) Law-enforcement-free zones offer space for community-building/healing; safe passage programs provide supervised routes for youth, reducing risks of violence to and from school/other extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, disinvestment in public spaces—especially in S Central—has eroded local infrastructure for peacebuilding and community care. Investing in transportation solutions can play a pivotal role in safeguarding our youth during daily commutes. (DC Policy Center).

We will pilot a Safe Passage Program to support the sustainability and impact of Chuco’s Justice Center as a community safety hub for youth and residents in South Central. We will staff and equip the space for daily transformative justice programming, provide safe passage to and from our programs via a new community van. We will complement this with existing community safety trainings by peacebuilders, who will model and enforce community approaches rooted in accountability, healing, and care—not punishment. Core components include:
Two peacebuilder salaries to provide daily safety staffing and conflict mediation
CAT911-inspired trainings for youth and community members in nonviolent intervention
A community safety code developed by youth and adults collaboratively
Van insurance, gas, and maintenance to ensure consistent, safe transportation

After one year, 50 YJC youth members and 100 coalition partner youth will receive safe transportation to attend programs/events without relying on public transit or walking through dangerous situations. Our community-developed safety code will be used by staff, students, and volunteers. Youth will complete trainings in de-escalation, conflict transformation, and crisis response. 200+ community members will access legal support/trainings/workshops, and neighborhood safety issues will be addressed through non-police response options.

In the long term, LA will have a replicable model for community safety that de-centers policing, including safe passage routes and programs. Chuco’s will build its reputation as a welcome community space where accountability, care, and healing are prioritized over punishment—led by system-impacted people. We will expand our community safety infrastructure and serve as a training ground for other organizations and neighborhoods to implement similar systems.