Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
On Tuesday, five new trauma response teams are launching in an effort to help residents of Boston’s high-crime neighborhoods cope with violence. According to Mayor Martin Walsh, this initiative was created in response to residents’ concerns. The effort, which will consist of health centers and community organizations, will be led by Walsh and the Boston Public Health Commission.
Outreach organizations will be set up in Roxbury’s Whittier Street Health Center, Jamaica Plain’s Tree of Life, the Four Corners Actions Coalition of Dorchester, and North Suffolk Mental Health of East Boston. In addition, a mobile vendor will host a 24-hour crisis hotline.
“We spent May to August of last year hosting 14 community listening sessions and heard from over 350 residents and providers,” said Catherine Fine, the Division of Violence Prevention director. “We asked them what they’d like to see in their neighborhoods following a traumatic event. And this is what we heard they wanted.”
Even when a traumatic event occurred in the distant past, teams will provide assistance if requested. “Someone may, following an event, feel like they don’t want to connect to someone,” said Fine. “And they can take support or access teams at any time, a year later, two years later.”
What is a Traumatic Event?
For the purpose of this new initiative, a traumatic event includes gun-related homicides, shootings that affect anyone under age 18 or multiple victims, and any traumatic event involving a child. According to Fine, in addition to providing assistance to victims, the initiative aims to inform residents that just because an area has a high crime rate, criminal activity doesn’t go unnoticed. A Boston defense lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been charged with a criminal offense.
“We want community members to know the city cares,” said Fine. “We want to connect with residents to let them know there are services that are available.” Those involved with the initiative will inform the community of ongoing efforts through community meetings, door-to-door informational campaigns, and healing sessions. “The fact that we are sort of knitting together more of a system connecting these entities together is unique,” she said. “We hope it’s the start of a very positive model.”
Gang Violence in Boston Neighborhoods
Although this new initiative is aimed at helping residents cope with any type of crime-related traumatic event, much of the violent crime in the Boston area is due to gang activity. One of the most notorious gangs in Boston is the MS-13, a violent gang whose motto is “mata, viola, controla’’ — kill, rape, control.
MS-13 targets public high school students, mostly immigrants, and often recruits kids as young as 14 years old. They pull from many Boston neighborhoods, but Chelsea, East Boston, and Everett are typically hardest hit. “Mentors” assist them throughout the initiation process, which usually involves a combination of illegal drug activity, theft, rape and other forms of violent crime. A MA defense attorney can help if your child has gotten caught up in gang activity.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Boston’s Premier Criminal Defense Law Firm
If you are facing charges for a violent crime in MA, the skilled legal team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. We have been protecting the rights of individuals charged with crimes for more than 50 years. Our experienced attorneys understand that sometimes good people get caught up in bad things. If this sounds like you, we may be able to help. Don’t make another mistake by hiring the wrong defense attorney. The right attorney might be the difference between probation and years behind bars. If you’ve been charged with any type of crime, from OUI to manslaughter, we can help. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
