EFTA01902567.pdf

Jeffrey Epstein, Education Philanthropist, Tackles the Highest Homicide Rate in the USVI The homicide rate for 2012 in the US Virgin Islands is the highest it's ever been. It is the highest in the United States and amongst the highest in the world. The current rate in the USVI is 56 per 100,000. That's ten times higher than the U.S. average and on par with war-tom countries like Syria, Iraq, Sierra Leon and the Congo. The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, which supports cutting edge science and science education across the United States, is based in St. Thomas in the USVI, and has turned its attention to reducing the skyrocketing homicide rates over the last couple of years. Founded in 2000, by financier, Jeffrey Epstein, his foundation has focused on supporting juvenile offenders and other challenged youth across the USVI islands. One cause behind the high homicide rates comes from high intensity drug trafficking through the islands headed for the US, providing a gang culture to youths at risk. According to the Police Commissioner, the territory also lacks effective gang intervention programs in its schools and jails. Another aggravator is that, police have failed to make arrests in about two-thirds of the homicides during the last two years, according to Daily News records. Jeffrey Epstein's focus has been to support programs that give at risk teenagers a productive, positive outlet, after school. His support of the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra is a great example. Established in 1981 by the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands as a means to minimize the growing number ofjuvenile offenders appearing in its courtrooms, the orchestra has since blossomed into a group of more than 2500 students, many of whom now serve in professional orchestras around the world. The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation has also funded numerous sports camps and training programs such as the first football training camp in the USVI organized by the Youth Lifeline of America. Over the last three summers, more than 700 teenagers have participated in the first Football & Life Skills Camp and received ongoing mentorship from professional athletes and Super Bowl Champion, and founder of YLA, Roland Williams, Football Hall ofFamer, Floyd Little and many other athletes. "There arc many causes to the high homicide rates," Jeffrey Epstein affirmed. "But the more we provide a positive structure for the young, the susceptibility towards violence and hopelessness decreases dramatically." In addition to founding the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation in 2000 to support science research, Jeffrey Epstein established the Program for Evolutionary Dynamic* at Harvard University in 2003 with a $30 million grant. He is a former member of the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, Rockefeller University, New York Academy of Science and sits on the board of the Mind, Brain and Behavior Committee at Harvard University. EFTA_R1_00332846 EFTA01902567