Springfield ranked No. 2 in the state from 2006 to 2010 in the number of homicides of people less than 23 years old, and Holyoke was tied at No. 10.
BOSTON – Ranked No. 2 in youth murders in the state the past five years, Springfield could benefit from a new law that provides $10 million in violence-prevention grants for cities.
Gov. Deval L. Patrick signed a bill on Tuesday that includes $10 million for a new program that would target grants to communities with the highest number of youth homicides and serious assaults. The same bill, given final approval by the state Legislature on Monday, also includes $15 million to pay for state costs of tornado response, a provision that captured most of the attention.
According to statistics compiled by the Massachusetts State Police and provided by the Massachusetts Senate, Springfield had 24 murders of people less than 23 years old from 2006 to 2010, far behind Boston, ranked No. 1 with 142 such murders.
Other communities on the "Top twenty cities with youth homicides" included Brockton, with 16; Worcester, 13; Lawrence, 11; and Lowell, 10. Holyoke was tied at No. 10 on the list with Quincy and Taunton with 6 each.
From left to right, in front of reporter's microphone, Marilyn Chase, an undersecretary for health and human services and point person for new effort to prevent youth violence, stands with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick at an event on Monday to promote the governor's new initiative to prevent youth violence in cities such as Springfield and Holyoke.Jennifer Kritz, a spokeswoman for the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services, said the agency is developing guidelines for providing grants.
The language in the new law is unclear about whether the grants would go to private, nonprofit agencies, municipalities or both.
In a recent speech on the program, Patrick said youth violence is not purely an issue for government.
Patrick said his administration will work with local officials and civic leaders to tailor a strategy for each community to quell urban violence.
"The most at-risk young people in the most violent communities in the commonwealth must have the full continuum of services, from trauma counseling to job training," Patrick said in the speech outlining his bid for the $10 million. "So, for each targeted community ... we will assess what services currently exist, which are working and which are not, and what gaps need to be filled."
Sen. Gale D. Candaras says a lack of jobs and opportunities is causing hopelessness and despair among youth in Springfield.Sen. Gale D. Candaras, D-Wilbraham, advocated for the $10 million during a speech last week on the Senate floor, saying that Springfield is plagued with gang violence. She said there is a serious lack of jobs and opportunities for young people in the city, causing hopelessness and despair long before the tornadoes struck on June 1.
Candaras said a shooting or a stabbing occurs just about every weekend in the city. She said officials need to control gang violence and repeated shootings and stabbings.
"We're in dire need immediately," Candaras said.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, also pushed for approval of the $10 million.
"These cities need this help now," said Brewer, who read from the top 20 list during his speech. "We can help .. with this targeted assistance."
The state House of Representatives and the Senate both overwhelmingly voted in support of the bill that included the $10 million.