PRINTER'S NO. 3226
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
824
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY V. BROWN, READSHAW, ROZZI, DONATUCCI, KIRKLAND,
VEREB, KILLION, BIZZARRO, KINSEY, WHEELAND, SCHLOSSBERG,
COHEN, MARSICO, MURT, ROTHMAN, MILLARD, THOMAS, DAVIS, COOK-
ARTIS, ROSS, DiGIROLAMO, CONKLIN, PAYNE, FREEMAN, BURNS,
NEILSON, CALTAGIRONE, YOUNGBLOOD AND BULLOCK, APRIL 25, 2016
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
APRIL 25, 2016
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of April 17 through 23, 2016, as "Violence
Prevention Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Anti-Violence Coalition (PAVC) is a
new organization intended to effectively facilitate
collaboration among diverse grassroots organizations to empower
the community to increase peace in Philadelphia neighborhoods
through activism, education, prevention/education programs and
effective policy advocacy; and
WHEREAS, PAVC has developed a 10-point program to coordinate
stakeholders and implement social, cultural, economic and policy
goals to increase peace in Philadelphia neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Violence is a multifaceted phenomenon caused by a
variety of factors; and
WHEREAS, Any success in preventing violence must be achieved
by multifaceted efforts as echoed in "The World Report on
Violence and Health," which states that it is important to
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
address not only individual factors leading to violence but also
the social systems that shape individuals; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has a diverse range of organizations
that work tirelessly within their communities to reduce
violence, such as the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia,
the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network (PAAN), Mothers
In Charge, House of Umoja, the Institute for the Development of
African-American Youth (IDAAY), the Philadelphia Collaborative
Violence Prevention Center and the Philadelphia Youth Violence
Reduction Partnership; and
WHEREAS, Programs such as PAAN's Youth Violence Reduction
Partnership (YVRP) have a proven track record of success in
violence reduction when they receive adequate support; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has the highest deep-poverty rate among
America's 10 largest cities and has endured 67 murders and 450
assaults with firearms in the first several months of 2016; and
WHEREAS, The rate of violent crime in Pennsylvania was 314
per 100,000 in 2014, with more than 40,000 incidents of violent
crime Statewide, concentrated in our urban areas; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is grateful to every individual and
organization dedicated to changing our communities for the
better by working to reduce violence through activism,
education, prevention/education programs and effective policy
advocacy; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
week of April 17 through 23, 2016, as "Violence Prevention Week"
in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
work of community-based organizations in the ongoing effort to
prevent violence and encourage all residents of this
20160HR0824PN3226 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Commonwealth to reject violence and resolve conflicts
peacefully.
20160HR0824PN3226 - 3 -
1
2