Youth Services Unit
The purpose of the Youth Services Unit (YSU) is to not only perform the role of a traditional juvenile unit, i.e. investigate all crimes involving juveniles, but also to better serve the needs of our young people and address the alarming trend of increased juvenile crime and gang activity. This should be a community-wide approach to benefit Lynn’s youth. The philosophy is to have an all-encompassing program, working with various community partners, to not only investigate and prosecute youth related crimes as necessary but also to intervene early and interact with youth and their families to resolve issues that may lead to crime. The unit will be responsible for the following:
Investigate reported crimes which are likely to have involved young persons
Coordinate the processing of juveniles with the local court authorities, including the Clerk’s Office and Probation Office
Work cooperatively with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office on not only criminal prosecutions, but also with prevention and education efforts including, but not limited to:
Juvenile Diversion Program
Youthful Diversion Program
Drug Diversion Program
Community Collaborative Initiatives (CCI)
Substance Abuse Prevention Programs
Work in partnership with the Lynn Public Schools to help enhance a safe and secure learning environment for students. Examples of such programs include:
Provide assistance with safety and security enhancements and emergency planning trainings
Conduct classroom presentations when available on relevant topics geared toward the student body
Provide assistance with safety issues related to vehicular and pedestrian student transportation
Formulate positive crime prevention programs aimed at young persons in conjunction with the local schools and social service agencies
Maintain a list of social service agencies to which youth can be referred for such things as counseling, employment, and medical services
Be available to speak to community groups on youth problems. Assemble literature and other media for release to the public on crime prevention strategies
Be available to parents and others seeking assistance with problem youth Conduct investigations of Missing Person reports
Provide assistance to and coordinate investigations with, as appropriate, the Gang Unit
Perform other duties as assigned by the Command Staff
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