Stephanie L. Mann

Stephanie L. Mann is a crime and violence prevention consultant whose grassroots work contributed to the development of the Neighborhood Watch Program, a widely recognized public safety initiative in the United States. Mann co-authored "Alternative to Fear: Guidelines to Safer Neighborhoods," which played a key role in launching the program. Her approach originated from direct community action in an unincorporated area with 17,500 residents, where limited law enforcement resources prompted Mann and nine volunteers to organize the "Neighborhood Responsibility" Program. This initiative included hiring sheriff investigators and providing drug education to students, resulting in a 48 percent reduction in crime within two and a half years, achieved without a local police department. With support from California's First Lady Nancy Reagan, the California Youth Authority funded the book, and thousands of guidebooks were distributed to police departments, training centers, and government agencies nationwide, including the FBI.

Mann has served as a community leader, neighborhood organizer, county coordinator, and state consultant. She co-authored "Safe Homes, Safe Neighborhoods: Stopping Crime Where You Live" and has promoted safe neighborhoods through more than 140 television and radio interviews, including appearances on the Bill Moyers Special: "Solutions to Violence." Mann also hosted "The Safe Kids Now Show," a national and international program focused on community safety and crime prevention.

Her work expanded to address the root causes of crime, such as childhood trauma and neglect. Through involvement with homeless support groups, Mann identified the importance of early intervention for children, leading to the publication of "Street Safe Kids," a ten-step guide for youth to avoid bullies, drugs, gangs, and violence. While working in Richmond, California, with Mothers Against Senseless Killings, she observed barriers to community engagement and authored "The Adopt-A-Block Guidebook" for church groups and civic organizations. Her book "Empowerment Parenting: How to Raise Resilient Children Who Become Happy, Self-Reliant Adults" provides guidance for parents to help children develop resilience and sound decision-making skills.

As founder and executive director of Safe Kids Now, a national network dedicated to strengthening families, neighborhoods, and communities, Mann has collaborated with the National Homeowners Association to launch the National Safe Neighborhoods Program. She has also worked with community leaders addressing child sex trafficking in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mann has received recognition including the Woman of Distinction Award from the National Assembly in New York, the Crown of Peace Award from the Inter-religious and International Peace Council in Washington, D.C., a commendation from the Office of the California Attorney General, and Citizen of the Year in Orinda, California. Mann's experience and her replicable model for community safety have established her as a leading voice in crime prevention, community safety, and violence prevention.