Understanding Interventions

NWSP has invested millions into the Promoting Assets Reducing Crime (PARC) program. Due to this investment and the support of many there has been double digit decreases in the majority of the crime categories like 47% decrease in robberies, 32% decrease in burglaries and 20% decrease in aggravated assault.

Adam Foss and Maurice White at Greater Milwaukee Foundation

These numbers are important to the work of NWSP and reflect a comprehensive approach to the crime prevention in the Near West Side and the City of Milwaukee.

Recently, I had the opportunity to be apart of a discussion with Adam Foss, a national leader in criminal justice reform and other community leaders from various community related and youth groups from the City of Milwaukee. This discussion held at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation highlighted the innovative work of our Community Prosecution Unit (CPU).

In particular, NWSP has been fortunate to work with a District Attorney John Chisholm and Deputy District Attorney Jeff Altenburg who are not only believers in criminal justice reform but are leading the charge in the nation.

Adam Foss highlighted how DA Chisholm has been not only open to be also actively involved in developing strategies that address many common problems that Milwaukee and similar cities face.

Specifically the District Attorney's office is looking at ways to address the learning curve many of our young attorneys face when fresh out of school. Many are not familiar with the culture, traditions and, neighborhoods of the clients they represent. Some of these men and women who have the best interest of their client at heart may not have the background information on what is happening in the community.

Would you continue to fund a corporation at a tune of $80 billion per year with a 70% failure rate? But we continue to fund prison system.

As DA Chisholm continues to explore better ways to address a broken system, communities like the Near West Side are fortunate enough to have his insight and expertise on addressing the long term problems within our communities while also acknowledging a system with serious flaws.

As a community organization NWSP will continue to support our District Attorney as he as shown to be a true community partner while we empower our residents, working side-by-side with them to show that we can make our communities safer while making our criminal justice system better.