LYRIC (Learn Your Rights in California)

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

: LYRIC (Learn Your Rights in California) was launched in March of 2014 with the goal of teaching all junior high and high school students in Alameda County their constitutional rights regarding detentions, searches and arrests. Teams of two go into classrooms and engage in interactive, dialogue and skit based presentations designed to teach our youth how to respectfully and safely interact with law enforcement. In addition to 36 classes conducted in Alameda County high schools, we have taught 20 classes at Oakland Tech. Need for the Program: As recent events have unfortunately reminded us, our youth, and the law enforcement officers that work in our communities, often do not share a common language that would ease their interactions. Our office seeks to bridge that gap in communication with education and outreach. If all our citizens know how to protect themselves when active in the community and how to assist law enforcement when appropriate, our children and communities will be safer.