Problem
Young adults and teenagers can be disconnected from their communities, schools, and the workforce, which can lead to involvement in violence and crime.
Solution
For years the county has had a summer jobs program for high school students. Months into his first term, Matthew Meyer created a Second Chance Scholars program. Mr. Meyer utilized data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a recent epidemiological study that identified characteristics most often found in young adults and teenagers engaged in violence in New Castle County’s largest city. The administration then identified a small group of high school students with such characteristics and invited them into the summer jobs program. Using data and smart science, Mr. Meyer’s administration is focused on identifying those individuals most likely to engage in criminal activity and immersing such individuals in alternatives to violence, educational and job training opportunities, mentorship and networks of community support.