Boston City Councilor Proposes Paying At-Risk Kids To Curb Violence
BOSTON (CBS) - City Councilor Tito Jackson says he thinks he's found a way to curb violence - with cash.
Jackson, who represents District 7, presented his idea to City Council this week. He proposes paying at-risk or violent teens to stay out of trouble.
"Bring something to the table. Let's have a conversation about how we make every street in the city of Boston, every child in the city of Boston, every family in the city of Boston safe," says Jackson.
The idea came from a similar stipend program in Richmond, CA. In 2010, Devone Boggan, Program Director the Office of Neighborhood Safety, started paying his city's youth. In order to qualify for the stipend, ONS fellows must follow strict rules and set goals.
If they can prove they're working toward those goals over an 18-month period, they receive between $300-$1,000 a month in cash.
Emmett Folgert founded the Dorchester Youth Collaborative 35 years ago. In that time, he's helped thousands.
"I don't think it's about paying kids to stay out of trouble. I think it's about giving kids an opportunity to educate themselves, to become workers and contributors to their communities and their families, and making sure that they can survive while they're in the program," says Folgert.
Boggan raises $1.2M each year in private donations. Over the course of five years, he says the city has paid out $335,000 to fellows.
The Boston City Council has agreed to hear Jackson's proposal.
