ESSEX, Md. — Roca Baltimore has targeted high-risk people between the ages of 16 and 24 with its intense, violence intervention program for more than four years now.
“It all starts with our relentless outreach,” said Roca Maryland Executive Vice President Kurtis Palermo. “Literally knocking on doors of young people who do not want to be found, who do not want to participate in programs and more often don’t want to meet us.”
Roca is now setting up a program in Essex in partnership with Baltimore County to try to reach some of its highest risk young people already known to police and seemingly destined for a life behind bars or death by a violent means.
“In addition to Roca’s work with young people, they will also be providing training to the Baltimore County Police Department focused on trauma-informed care,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.
Roca’s program will start modestly here in Essex with two people who can handle a maximum of 25 cases apiece.
For his part, former State Delegate Pat McDonough, who is trying to unseat Olszewski on Election Tuesday, is dismissive of the new partnership.
“This is another one of these feel-good programs that doesn’t accomplish much,” said McDonough. “That’s why Baltimore City is a failure.”
But those who have devoted their lives to the program, beg to differ.
“They’re not criminals. They’re not killers,” said Palermo. “They’re young people that need help and having that humanity and that judgment-free approach, I think that’s why Roca is successful, because what you did in the past, sure, could impact employment or getting an apartment, but it doesn’t impact the relationship that myself or my team have with these young people and that will not change whether we come to Baltimore County or beyond.”
In its more than four years in Baltimore City, Roca has served 240 young men and 84 percent of them have had no new arrests.
