Tamuning Christian Fellowship Invites U.S. Attorney To Speak To Youth Group

           United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, was invited to speak with the youth of the Tamuning Christian Fellowship on January 26, 2014.  They, along with adult mentors of the youth group, discussed problems experienced by youth, including violence, substance abuse, and discrimination including discrimination because of one’s ethnicity, race and gender identity.  They shared ways to engage the community so as to raise awareness about these issues, including a forum to bring together students, parents, families, educators, law enforcement, victim service providers, social services, health professionals, faith-based organizations, Mayors, Consulate Offices, and other community stakeholders, to dialogue about these problems and establish effective programs, projects and other means to address and prevent violence, abuse and exploitation, and discrimination, and to encourage positive behavior and role-modeling. 

U.S. Attorney Limtiaco also shared information about Department of Justice initiatives, including Project Safe Childhood (PSC), Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and the Diverse Community Outreach.

Launched in May 2006, PSC is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys= Offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department=s Criminal Division, and Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.  PSC’s goal is to educate parents about the potential dangers that their children face online, and warns potential online predators that exploiting a child online is a serious federal offense. 

PSN is a nationwide commitment to aggressively prosecute offenders who engage in drug distribution, gang involvement and violent crime.  U.S. Attorney Limtiaco talked about the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, a program under PSN aimed at elementary and middle school students, which focuses on developing life skills to help students avoid delinquent behavior and violence, and to solve problems through communication and the exercise of good judgment.

The purpose of the Diverse Community Outreach Initiative is to increase and improve communication and collaboration between the community and law enforcement.  Faith-based community members, Consulate Offices and other stakeholders are invited and participate in the
initiative.  Issues discussed at the Diverse Community Outreach Initiative meetings include human trafficking; hate crimes and civil rights; immigration; labor; cultural competency; national security; and crime prevention. 

Photos taken at Tamuning Christian Fellowship.