Mineola, NY-- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, joined by Deputy County Executive of Health and Human Services Mary Curtis, Deputy County Executive of Public Safety Timothy Driscoll, Executive Director of the Nassau County Youth Board George Siberón, and a number of bi-county community, law enforcement, youth organizations and representatives from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, today spoke at a gang awareness seminar at Hofstra University.

"Nassau County has come a long way in gang prevention, and I am proud to say that these gang awareness seminars have become a model throughout the state," County Executive Suozzi said. "We have remained proactive in our gang prevention efforts and we have continued to collaborate with local schools, law enforcement and community-based organizations to keep our youth safe."

The seminar entitled, "Youth, Violence and Gangs: A Call to Action," is sponsored by Safe and Supportive Schools Consortium. This is a follow-up to the November 2003 Gang Awareness 102 Seminar. Another gang awareness seminar was held in 2002.

"I am pleased to see such a diverse group here looking for solutions to a very important problem in our community," said Executive Director of the Nassau County Youth Board George Siberón. "It is essential to talk and have discussion to find the solutions that are necessary to deal with this issue."