Oct. 29, 2009 (PR Newswire) --
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Simon Property Group, Inc., the country's largest owner, developer and manager of high quality retail real estate, (NYSE: SPG) and the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), home of McGruff the Crime Dog®, announced today they have teamed up during Crime Prevention Month to unveil NCPC's new initiative called Circle of Respect in approximately 185 malls across the country.
The goal of the Circle of Respect initiative is to begin a national conversation on civility in the United States today. During the initial phase of the campaign, NCPC intends to shift public perception from a view that condones bullying and harassment as a rite of passage to one that considers bullying and harassment to be unacceptable behavior. Eventually the campaign will expand in scope to include vandalism, theft, dating violence, alcohol and other drug abuse, and other behavior in which issues of respect are paramount among young people and adults.
Noted authors such as Rosalind Wiseman (Queenbees and Wannabes), Rachel Simmons (Odd Girl Out), Dr. William Pollack (Real Boys' Voices), and many more will play a role in elevating this campaign to a national discussion.
As part of NCPC's ongoing partnership with Simon Property Group, Simon malls will post door clings at its entrances, tent cards at food court tables, and hand out information at Guest Services encouraging consumers to log on and take the Circle of Respect pledge at www.circleofrespect.org.
"The malls represent an important part of our community where people go to shop, dine, and be entertained in a safe, secure environment," said Ann M. Harkins, President and CEO, National Crime Prevention Council. "We are thrilled to combine with Simon Property Group to bring the important message of respect for each other and our community to malls across the country."
Simon Property Group began its promotion for the Circle of Respect initiative this summer by sharing Circle of Respect wristbands to thousands of teens during Simon dTOUR Live®. Simon dTOUR Live® is the cornerstone of Simon's teen platform, which integrates tailored brand sponsorships with exciting and interactive entertainment, events, and concerts.
"We're very excited about this opportunity to work with the National Crime Prevention Council," said Russ Tuttle, Simon's vice president of corporate security and emergency management. "They have been doing groundbreaking work for many years and our collaboration on Circle of Respect highlights how important we view safety at our properties.
