The first of a three-part videoconference on youth violence, followed by a local panel discussion, will be offered to the public on Sept. 21 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø.
The free videoconference will be held in room 4 of the Coors/Events Conference Center from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m, followed by a panel discussion from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The panel will be moderated by sociology Professor Delbert Elliott, director of the CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø center and a national authority on juvenile delinquency.
Other panelists will be:
o Ron Stump, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø
o Bruce Swinehart, director, Â鶹¹ÙÍø Healthy Community Initiative
o Dick Reznik, officer, Â鶹¹ÙÍø Police Department
o Beverly Ausfahl, president, Colorado Education Association
o Tom Fox, school-based therapist, Mental Health Services of Â鶹¹ÙÍø County
The national videoconference, titled "Acting on Early Warning Signs," is sponsored by the HOPE Foundation of Bloomington, Ind. It will deal with early warning signs of violence -- what to look for and how to respond without "scapegoating;" updating safety and crisis intervention plans; and positive ways of involving parents, the community and the media.
"Can we prevent the onset of serious violent behavior?" asked Elliott. "This is the central issue facing the nation today. We cannot accurately predict individual events like the terrible bloodbath at Columbine High School. But we can greatly reduce the likelihood that such events will occur."
The teleconference will feature James Garbarino of Cornell University, author of the bestselling book, "Lost Boys;" Kevin Dwyer of the National Association of School Psychologists; Judson Hixson of the North Central Regional Educational Lab, in addition to practitioners, students, parents and law enforcement officers. Among the 20 national co-sponsors are the National Education Association, American School Counselors Association, National Association of School Psychologists and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Two other videoconferences and panel discussions also will be held at CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø: "Comprehensive Prevention Planning" on Oct. 19 and "Containing Crisis" on Nov. 30. Elliott will moderate a panel discussion following each event.
Nearly 600 sites nationwide have committed to downlinking the series.
"We plan to provide the best information available about assuring safety in our schools and communities," said Alan Blankstein, founder of the National Educational Service and president of the HOPE Foundation. "Ultimately, we need to re-build trust, a sense of stability and hope for the future."
To attend the videoconference and panel discussion call (303) 492-1032. A packet for each participant and light food and beverages will be provided. Metered parking will be available in lot 436, directly north of the Coors/Events Conference Center.
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence has examined 500 violence prevention programs and identified 10 that meet the highest standards for preventing or reducing violence. The center is making all 10 programs in its Blueprints for Violence Prevention series available to communities across the nation through a series of handbooks.
For more information call (303) 492-1032 or write the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø, Campus Box 442, Â鶹¹ÙÍø, CO 80309. Or visit the center's Web site at .
The videoconference and panel discussion series is co-sponsored by the CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø Office of Community Relations.