Replication of SHIELD
The administration of the Westminster Police Department believes that focused delinquency prevention is an important component of its law enforcement and community protection responsibilities. The SHIELD program was designed to allow the police department to contribute most effectively to community-based delinquency prevention efforts. By drawing on the experiences in Westminster, law enforcement agencies in other communities may replicate the SHIELD program and modify it to suit their local needs. Of the supporting factors noted above, the only one that must exist prior to replication is strong administrative support within the law enforcement agency. A history of community collaboration and strong ties to service providers and schools is important and will help any program, but these are not critical preexisting conditions. When a law enforcement agency decides to replicate SHIELD, the first step is to assemble the Youth and Family Resource Team. Agencies represented on this team should assist in considering modifications to the referral process and assessing the availability of local services. Although a systematic assessment of services available in the community was not done in Westminster prior to program implementation, such an assessment would benefit any replication effort. This assessment, also known as a resource inventory, should examine a variety of factors (for example, the types of services available and their service capacity, the length of waiting lists, the extent and quality of recordkeeping, and the number and condition of facilities) to identify service providers, highlight untapped resources, and uncover gaps in services available to youth. A local college or university research partner may be available to assist with this effort at low cost. Additional information on conducting needs assessments and resource inventories can be found in Witkin and Altschuld (1995) and Kettner, Moroney, and Martin (1999). The SHIELD program is not expensive; staff time is the primary expense for law enforcement. In Westminster, the SHIELD program is staffed by one full-time officer and two half-time police interns. The interns are responsible primarily for assisting with the development of student referral reports for the Youth and Family Resource Team and maintaining a computerized case management system. The officer carries out administrative functions of the program, participates in Youth and Family Resource Team meetings, and completes risk assessment instruments for youth.| Previous | Contents | Next |
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