NCJ Number
165309
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The all-volunteer Aurora Gang Task Force (AGTF) was formed in Colorado in 1989 in response to an increasing gang presence; the AGTF obtained 98 percent of its funding from private sector donations and drew its members from a broad base of community volunteers and organizations, including law enforcement, schools, civic organizations, churches, social services, government agencies, and business.
Abstract
The AGTF organized into a steering committee and five subcommittees that focused on: (1) Alternative Activities, to identify, promote, and enhance after-school activities and programs for at-risk youth; (2) Education, to sponsor programs for schools, neighborhoods, and other organizations; (3) Legislation, Enforcement, and Prosecution, to implement tougher prosecution and sentencing of gang-motivated crime and to lobby for legislation to better control gang-related behavior; (4) Recruitment and Orientation, to reach new members and educate them about AGTF goals; and (5) Public Affairs, to disseminate consistent and responsible information about gangs to the public, media, and other interested agencies and community groups. AGTF initiatives enjoyed several early successes, and the AGTF expanded its focus beyond traditional street gangs involved in drugs to motorcycle gangs, Hispanic and Asian gangs, skinheads, white supremacists, and hate groups. Despite AGTF efforts, however, gang membership in Aurora continued to increase. The police department reacted with strong enforcement to demonstrate Aurora's continued determination to curb gang activity. In 1995, the AGTF was restructured to strengthen and broaden active participation, reduce time demands on volunteers, and acknowledge the difficulty of bridging differences between individual AGTF members.