Mission District/SF Discussion: The Murder Rate Plummets and Community Responses to Violen

We would like to invite you to an open dialogue about the recent murder rate drop in San Francisco and what the decline means for communities of color.

Join us at the El Tecolote office to discuss community responses to violence and police repression in the Bay Area.


When: Tuesday, February 2, 2010 7pm
Where: El Tecolote/Accion Latina office located at 2958 24th Street
San Francisco, California 94110
What: Discussion and snacks


In 2009, the San Francisco murder rate had its biggest one year drop on record. The mainstream media seems perplexed as to the cause--in tough economic times the violent crime rate usually sky-rockets. So how do we account for the murder rate plummeting in the midst of a recession? The San Francisco Bay Guardian reports that some Bayview residents are crediting the drop to community grounded responses to conflict and families being more proactive to counter aggression. Could it be that our communities are having success with grassroots approaches to violence?

Unfortunately, as the overall violent crime rate has dropped, the arrest rate has increased dramatically and the San Francisco Police Department is jumping in to claim responsibility for the drop and use it to lobby for funding. As communities develop new solutions to dealing with conflict, the police are using the same repressive tactics in people of color and immigrant communities daily. Lets explore ways to use this new climate to thrive into a more peaceful community and fight against institutionalized racism and state repression together.


For more information on this evening of brainstorming and imagination, contact Rebecca Ruiz-Lichter at 415.902.2794 or Rebecca415 [at] gmail.com

*El Tecolote/Accion Latina is wheelchair accessible
Spanish Translation, childcare and snacks will be provided