Gangs can be the most visible cause and the most visible result of extreme social and economic distress in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The goal of the GRP is to reduce youth gang crime and violence in targeted neighborhoods by helping communities take an integrated approach to applying proven practices in primary prevention, secondary prevention, intervention, suppression, and reentry. Primary prevention targets the entire population in high-crime, high-risk communities. Secondary prevention identifies young children (ages 7-14) at high risk and, drawing on the resources of schools, community-based organizations, and faith-based groups, intervenes with appropriate services before early problem behaviors turn into serious delinquency and gang involvement. Intervention targets active gang members, close associates, and gang members returning from confinement and involves aggressive outreach and recruitment activity. Suppression focuses on identifying the most dangerous and influential gang members and removing them from the community. Reentry targets serious offenders returning to the community after confinement and provides appropriate services and monitoring. The GRP is already underway in four pilot sites: Los Angeles (California), Miami (Florida), Milwaukee (Wisconsin), and Richmond (Virginia). The GRP plan identifies needs at the individual, family, and community level; inventories human and financial resources in the community and creates plans to fill the gaps; applies the best research-based programs across appropriate age ranges, risk categories, and agency boundaries; and encourages coordination and integration in two directions: vertically (Federal, State, and local) and horizontally (across communities and program types). The four pilot sites are small areas characterized not only by high levels of crime and gang activity but also by strong indicators of citizen involvement and significant existing program investment.
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