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Fourteen youth programs, police departments and muncipalities will share $2.8 million in state money to help fund crime and gang prevention programs, state officials announced Thursday.
In the tri-county area, the Burlington City Police Department will receive $145,000. The money is part of Gov. Jon S. Corzine's Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods.
The department was one of three police departments awarded funding. The remaining funding was
Attorney General Anne Milgram said the governor's strategy to fight crime focuses on addressing root causes by providing alternatives to prevent juvenile delinquency and gang involvement.
"We can't arrest our way out of this problem of violent street and gangs and gun violence," Milgram said.
State officials also announced that PSEG has committed $1.5 million to various programs, including after school programs such as New Jersey After 3.
The grant will help to bring 100 more youths into the program, he said.
Bliss said he has seen the difference it makes when youngsters get involved in after school programs.
"We know the programs work; it's just having the resources and the facilities to be able to provide the services," he said.
In addition to the funding provided to the programs at Catto, Bliss said a separate grant through the state Neighborhood Crime Prevention/Intervention Initiative will go to fund delinquency prevention efforts at the club's Parkside site.
Through the program, at-risk youngsters are paired with an adult mentor and go through employment training workshops.
"The key for us is to get youngsters engaged and keep them engaged," he said. A new Jersey 3 program will be launched at the Mary Ethel Castello Middle School in Gloucester City through a $225,000 grant provided to Education and Information and Resource Center, a nonprofit group that operates after-school programs in Gloucester City.
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