The purpose of the guide is to educate young people and their parents about issues that challenge today's youth, according to the Office of the Independent Police Auditor. In the guide there are suggestions on interacting with police officers, how to avoid being victimized by crime, important legal issues and a discussion of laws that affect young people.
"We're very proud of this new version of the guide," San Jose Independent Police Auditor Barbara Attard said. "We've added a lot of issues that weren't in the last one, things that youth today deal with in their lives."
A number of new topics that have been included in the newest version of the guide are gangs, cyberbullying, hate crimes, Internet safety, street racing and dating abuse. Also listed in the guide are city and community services that young people can get in touch with if they are having problems.
Attard said that the guide is important for both young people and parents, and hopes that it will "open a dialogue about issues" that affect the lives of children and teenagers.
"We're very excited to get it out there," she added. The last guide was released around a year and a half ago, Attard said.
Copies of the guide are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, and it may be downloaded at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/IPA. The conference will take place at 1 p.m. at the City Hall Rotunda.
