Department of Justice's Youth Gang Prevention Initiative
As reported in the 2006 National Youth Gang Survey, some 785,000 gang members and 26,500 gangs were active in more than 3,400 U.S. jurisdictions in 2006. As most gang members join between the ages of 12 and 15, prevention is a critical strategy within a comprehensive response to gangs that includes law enforcement, prosecution, and reentry.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a comprehensive initiative to combat gang violence, under its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). DOJ's strategy is twofold. First, prioritize prevention programs to provide America 's youth and offenders returning to the community with opportunities that help them resist gang involvement. Second, ensure robust enforcement policies when gang-related violence occurs.
History
The following describe the inauguration and expansion of DOJ's comprehensive anti-gang initiative.
- Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Initiative To Combat Gangs
On February 15, 2006, DOJ announced that the Department would establish a comprehensive anti-gang prevention and enforcement program that will incorporate prevention, enforcement, and reentry efforts to address gang membership and gang violence at every stage.
- Prepared Remarks of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at the Los Angeles Gangs Press Conference
On March 31, 2006, the Attorney General announced the initial six sites selected to implement DOJ's anti-gang initiative (Los Angeles, CA, Cleveland, OH, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, Milwaukee, WI, Tampa, FL, and the 222 corridor that stretches from Easton to Lancaster, PA, near Philadelphia).
- Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Announces Expansion of Justice Department's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative
On April 26, 2007, the Attorney General announced expansion of DOJ's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative to include four additional sites (Oklahoma City, OK, Indianapolis, IN, Raleigh-Durham, NC, and Rochester, NY) targeting street gangs and promoting prevention efforts to keep communities and neighborhoods safe.
- Department of Justice Announces New Anti-Gang Funding to Chicago and Detroit
On August 11, 2008, Deputy Attorney General Mark R. Filip announced the intent to award $2 million to both Chicago and Detroit as part of an expansion of DOJ's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative. The awards will help law enforcement develop plans to combat gang violence in these cities and surrounding suburbs, and to implement their own anti-gang strategies using three components of prevention, enforcement, and prisoner reentry.
Additional information about DOJ activities to combat gangs may be found at the following:
- Department of Justice Highlights Achievements Under Project Safe Neighborhoods
DOJ highlighted the significant accomplishments of Federal, state, and local officials in combating gang violence and reducing gun crime through Project Safe Neighborhoods before more than 1,000 members of PSN task forces.
- Fact Sheet: Project Safe Neighborhoods: America's Network Against Gun Violence
By linking Federal, state, and local law enforcement with prosecutors and community leaders, Project Safe Neighborhoods has provided a multifaceted approach to prosecuting and deterring gun crime. In 2006, DOJ expanded PSN to include new and enhanced anti-gang efforts.
- Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Highlights Achievements Under Project Safe Neighborhoods and New Initiatives on Combating Gang Violence
The Attorney General highlighted the significant accomplishments of Federal, state, and local officials in combating gang violence and reducing gun crime through Project Safe Neighborhoods before more than 1,300 members of PSN task forces meeting in Denver, CO, on May 2, 2006.
- Attorney General Gonzales Highlights Department Efforts to Fight Gang Violence in Los Angeles
The Attorney General joined Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on March 7, 2007, to highlight the collaboration between the Department of Justice and the City of Los Angeles to curb the threat of violent gang crime.
OJJDP's Gang Reduction Program
OJJDP's Gang Reduction Program is designed to reduce gang activity in targeted neighborhoods by incorporating a broad spectrum of research-based interventions to address the range of personal, family, and community factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and gang activity. The program integrates Federal, state, and local resources to incorporate state-of-the-art practices in prevention, intervention, and suppression. As part of this program, OJJDP has developed a Strategic Planning Tool to help communities assess and address local gang problems.
The Gang Reduction Program is funding pilot sites in four communities characterized by significant existing program investment, strong indicators of citizen involvement, and high rates of crime and gang activity. The sites are located in:
With support from OJJDP, Homeboy Industries is partnering with the Gang Reduction Program site in Los Angeles to offer gang-involved and at-risk youth an opportunity to become productive members of society through its employment-centered services.
Other OJJDP Gang Prevention Activities
Through its Gang-Free Schools and Communities Program, OJJDP seeks to reduce youth gang crime and violence in schools and communities. While specific activities vary across program sites, all sites follow the five broad strategies outlined in OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model: community mobilization, social intervention, opportunities for educational and vocational advancements, suppression, and organizational change.
OJJDP's Gang Prevention Coordination Assistance Program provides funding to enhance coordination of local, state, and Federal resources in support of community partnerships implementing two or more of the following anti-gang strategies: primary prevention, secondary prevention, gang intervention, and gang enforcement.
OJJDP's Latino Youth Mentoring Program focuses on developing and supporting a peer mentoring program that proactively reaches youth before they are recruited by gangs to develop and strengthen protective factors against gang involvement and other problem behaviors.
OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center provides training and technical assistance to OJJDP-funded programs. Visit the Center's Web site for the latest research on gang and comprehensive information on the development and implementation of effective gang prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies.
To learn more about OJJDP's ongoing efforts to prevent gangs, see the following information, drawn from its bimonthly electronic newsletter OJJDP News @ a Glance and its JUVJUST listserv.
- Youth Gang Symposium Promotes Partnering
OJJDP's National Youth Gang Symposium, held June 24–26, in Atlanta, GA, featured the theme “Partnering to Prevent Gang Violence: From Faith-Based and Community Organizations to Law Enforcement.” OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores addressed the symposium, as did Nicky Cruz, a former gang leader working to help troubled youth. The new report “Best Practices To Address Community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model” was released at the symposium.
- El Salvador Training Pinpoints Anti-Gang Strategies
OJJDP conducted gang prevention training at the International Law Enforcement Academy in San Salvador, El Salvador, January 29–February 2, 2007.
- Six Sites Meet for Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative Conference
On November 8–9, 2006, community teams participating in DOJ's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative gathered in Dallas, TX, to exchange information and build on local efforts to combat gangs using a combination of prevention, law enforcement, and prisoner reentry strategies.
- OJJDP and COPS Sponsor Gang Prevention Webcasts
In partnership with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), OJJDP hosted a two-part Webcast on Preventing Gangs in Our Communities on May 23 and June 6, 2006.
Publications
 Best Practices Report Addresses Gang Problems
The OJJDP report Best Practices To Address Community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model guides communities responding to a gang problem in implementing OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model. It describes best practices learned from practitioners experienced in planning and implementing the model and notes findings from evaluations of programs demonstrating the model.
Fact Sheet Highlights Youth Gang Survey
The OJJDP fact sheet Highlights of the 2006 National Youth Gang Survey summarizes findings from the 2006 survey and reports data on the number of gangs, gang members, and gang-related crime. It is estimated that approximately 26,500 gangs and 785,000 gang members were active in the United States in 2006.
Additional information is available in the following OJJDP publications:
Resources
The latest gang-related resources may be found on OJJDP's Web site, by searching by the keyword "gang".
To keep informed on gang and other juvenile-justice related issues subscribe to OJJDP's bimonthly electronic newsletter OJJDP News @ a Glance and its JUVJUST listserv.
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