Recife, April 7, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The national secretary of Public Safety, Luiz Fernando Correia, participated today in the opening of the Metropolitan Forum of Policies to Defend against and Prevent Violence, in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, in Northeast Brazil. The forum will enable the application of federal resources in the area of preventing and combatting violence in the metropolitan area of Recife.

The federal government has already allocated US$ 1.739 million (R$ 5 million) this year on programs to combat violence. These programs will be focused on young people, shown by state crime indexes to be both the greatest perpetrators and the greatest victims. 70% of Pernambuco's current prison population comprises individuals between 18 and 25 years old.

Among the activities planned to combat violence in the state are courses for social agents, drug prevention programs, social support for inmates' families, to prevent relapses into crime, and the organization of municipal social defense councils.

Translator: David Silberstein