Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership, Introduction (From Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership, P 1-6, 2013, Thomas R. Simon, Nancy M. Ritter, and Reshma R. Mahendra, eds. - See NCJ-239234)

• NCJ Number: 243464
• Author(s): Thomas R. Simon, Ph.D.; Nancy M. Ritter; Reshma R. Mahendra, M.P.H.
• Date Published: 2013
• Length: 7 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); Ctr's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Book Chapter; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This introduction to a book on preventing youth from joining gangs through a partnership of public-health and public-safety agencies presents the rationale for such an approach to the serious problem of gang crime and violence.

Abstract

Since the book focuses on the principles of preventing gang membership rather than a detailed description of a model for preventing gang-joining, the introduction first explains the reasons for such an approach. It indicates that attention to prevention principles better equips appropriate agencies to counter the specific public-health and public-safety issues linked to gang membership. These issues include interpersonal violence, truancy and school dropout, alcohol and substance abuse, and a host of related crime and health challenges. Further, an emphasis on prevention principles moves the public discourse beyond an overly simplistic concept of gangs and related problems to a foundational understanding of the complex array of social patterns and individual behaviors related to youths' attraction to gangs. Another aspect of the book's rationale for promoting prevention is the cost-benefit feature of effective early intervention programs. The introduction then presents an overview of the book's 11 chapters. Topics include the latest information about the magnitude and seriousness of the gang problem in the United States; the aspects of gang life that attract some youth; the public health impact of gang membership, the role that law enforcement can play in preventing youth from joining a gang, and the importance of collaboration and coordination across sectors, including health, law enforcement, education, and business. Other chapters identify risk and protection factors for gang-joining in the areas of child development, family, school, community, and race/ethnicity. Another issue addressed in the chapters is the importance of multi-agency evaluations designed to determine the cost-effectiveness of various prevention strategies implemented.