“I think we see the decrease because of our collective efforts to set a tone, and the police department and the office of community services,” she said. “We need to really show our young people opportunities and ways that our young people can be steered away from violence. They need hope for their future.”

At the meeting on Dec. 19, McLaughlin and about 10 attendees lit a candle and had a moment of silence to remember those slain in Richmond. The group then discussed a variety of ways to prevent violence including job opportunities and community activities.

Kerry Benthall, who has lived in and around Richmond for the past 30 years, discussed quality education as a necessity for improving the community. He has visited jails and found that many of the inmates had not graduated from high school.

“When people become educated they realize they are worth something,” he said. “If you want to close a school it should take as much time to close it as it took to build it.”

The West Contra Costa Unified School District is suffering from a massive budget shortfall and estimates that it may have to close as many as 10 schools throughout the district. Officials will meet in January and February to discuss the issue further and are scheduled to make a final decision in February.

Family can also have a big impact on behavior and on violence prevention, said Kibibi Culbertson of Richmond. Parental classes may help those who need information, she said.

“My family was a big part of keeping me on the straight and narrow,” she said. “A lot of the instruction that’s needed starts at home.”

McLaughlin agreed and said substance abuse classes and job opportunities with programs like Richmond BUILD, the city’s construction and solar pre-apprenticeship program, can help.

Another issue, said McLaughlin, is the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Our nation has been involved in this horrendous war. That doesn’t set a good example for our young people,” she said.