Volunteer: GPAC not working
By John Joyce
Published in News on February 8, 2015 1:50 AM
Francine Smith says while violent crime in Goldsboro continues to rob young mothers of their sons and young children of their fathers, there is little being said by city officials or community leaders.
"I am not hearing anything," she said.
And because of their silence, Mrs. Smith, a member of Goldsboro Partners Against Crime, the law enforcement and community coalition against violent crime and program manager at Rebuilding Broken Places said, "people have grown weary."
In 2012, Goldsboro Police Chief Jeff Stewart and the city embarked on an effort to partner with community organizations to address the violent crimes plaguing the city -- GPAC.
More than two years in, the GPD maintains the program is working -- that of more than 120 offenders notified at public call-ins to either knock off their criminal behavior or face lengthy jail sentences, only a handful have re-offended.
But critics of the program, including Mrs. Smith, say the numbers are not reflective of a reduction in crime.
Rather, fewer offenders are being caught.
Mrs. Smith, a leader of the community half of GPAC, says only one out of the 120-plus offenders notified have followed up with the community resources made available to them.
"Not even one," she said. "He made appointments, but he did not keep them."
So Mrs. Smith keeps her focus these days on where she can have the most impact, she said.
With young children.
Rebuilding Broken Places is home to a day care and after-school program that serve more than 100 students. Her program reaches out to community housing projects with on-site instruction at Lincoln Homes, Fairview and West Haven.
There are programs there for young children and for young families, she said.
Single mothers can receive help with parenting skills, conflict resolution in the home, financial planning, budgeting and mental health.
Yet, the killing continues.
"The violence seems to be at a different place now," Mrs. Smith said. "Nobody is talking because a lot is going on nationally."
With eyes on Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N. Y., it is hard for people to look at what is going on at home, she said.
But she remains hopeful that someone will speak up, speak out and bring the necessary attention to what is going on in the streets of Goldsboro.
"We have the opportunity to effect change," she said. "We hoped we would effect change."