VIRGINIA MINORITY PANEL SEES WAYS TO CUT CRIME

Virginia can reduce crime in minority neighborhoods through community policing, drug courts, improved educational opportunities and better oversight of juvenile offenders, according to a governor's task force.

The Preventing Crime in Virginia's Minority Communities Task Force submitted its recommendations

The proposals included:

* Expanding coalitions of police and civic organizations.

* Expanding drug courts, which combine supervision and treatment, to all parts of the state;

* Expanding "youth court" programs, which allow a jury of peers to offer young offenders alternative punishments such as community service, restitution and counseling;

* Increasing staffs for supervisory programs such as probation and community corrections programs and offering more post-release programs to supervise offenders;

* Offering mentoring and afterschool programs and using existing laws to increase school attendance and encourage high school graduation. The task force also supported enhanced adult education for English as a second language and high school equivalency programs.