Strategies for Youth is the only national organization which exists solely for the purpose of improving police/youth interactions, advocating for the training of public safety officers in the science of child and youth development, and supporting community partnerships that build strong police/youth relationships. Strategies for Youth not only trains law enforcement and communities, but also serve as a technical advisor to the U.S Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention while work directly on policy reform on the national, state, and departmental levels. Core Values We believe police trainings that provide practical insights from the science of child and adolescent development and psychiatry are effective methods for enhancing the skills and options of officers when working with children and youth. We believe that police departments’ effectiveness and legitimacy is determined by the quality of their interactions with children and youth. We believe that communities should be partners with police in assuring the safety of children and youth, and promoting respectful relationships. We believe that how children and youth are policed has critical long-term implications for youths’ ability to fully participate in American society and their respect for the American system of law and order. We believe that investing in training officers how to interact effectively with children and youth supports the development of positive relationships between youth and officers and strengthens communities. We believe training programs are most effective when officers and youth are involved in creating and presenting them. We believe data demonstrating disproportionate rates of police contact with minority youth can be addressed through training, diversion, and innovation.
