Talking It Through: A Teen-Police Dialogue

Creating safer communities and supporting policing by consent, in my view, are built on dialogue. Only through dialogue can respect be nurtured and understanding developed. Only through dialogue can prejudice be addressed and resolved sustainably. Only through dialogue can common futures and worthwhile policing plans be shared and shaped.

Teenage members of the Center for Court Innovation's Youth Justice Board program filmed a conversation with retired police officers. Participants discuss interactions between police and young people in New York City and how police-teen relations can be improved. (Video here)

This is great example of the work of the Centre for Court Innovation in New York which is seeking always to find new approaches to tackling crime and building community safety. I have watched and supported their programme of work over the years including organising & facilitating a joint UK/US dialogue some while back as a prelude to establishing community courts (See this article about the round table discussion back in 2005 which included Shami Chakrabarti & Lord Goldsmith)

Having informative two way dialogues with young people must be part of any PCC Candidate's campaign. I look forward to seeing the reports. Please post them here if you like.