What is Weed & Seed?
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) defines Weed and
Seed as a strategy rather than a grant program that aims
to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug
abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime
neighborhoods across the country. The strategy involves
a two-pronged approach: law enforcement agencies and
prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" criminals who
participate in violent crime and drug abuse, attempting
to prevent their return to the targeted area; and
"seeding" brings human services to the area,
encompassing prevention, intervention, treatment, and
neighborhood revitalization. Weed and Seed is sponsored
by the DOJ.
During the summer of 2006, the Martindale-Brightwood
neighborhood took a proactive approach to purge the
criminal element from its area by applying for Weed and
Seed funding. After a vigorous application process,
which included an intensive site visit by the U.S.
Department of Justice Grant Program, Martindale-Brightwood
received official recognition as the seventh Weed & Seed
site in Indianapolis.
This Weed and Seed site covers 2.65
square miles, and has a population of 8,907 (2005
Estimate). There are approximately 3,383 households, in
which 50.66% of these households earn less than $25,000
per year. Eighty-nine percent (89.00%) of the residents
are Black/African American. Thirty-three percent
(33.00%) of the residents are under age 18, 42.00% of
the residents are between the ages of 18 and 44, and
25.00% of the residents are age 45 or older. Over
thirty-six percent (36.44%) of Martindale-Brightwood
residents age 25 and older have not earned a high school
diploma or GED.
The Martindale-Brightwood (MB) Weed & Seed Steering Committee
is comprised of several neighborhood agencies including,
but not limited to, the City of Indianapolis, MB
Community Development Corporation (CDC), Oasis Christian
CDC, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD),
Indy Parks, and each of the four major neighborhood
associations in the area: Brightwood Concerned Citizens,
MB Neighborhood Association, Oakhill Civic Association,
and the Ralston Hovey Arsenal Association.
Steering Committee Organizational
Chart