NCJ Number
147197
Journal
NIJ Reports Issue: 224 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 21-24
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The National Youth Gang Suppression and Intervention Program is conducting a four-stage process of assessment, model program development, technical assistance, and dissemination.
Abstract
Assessment addressed the characteristics of the organized response to youth gangs. A national survey of youth gang problems and programs identified five common strategies: suppression, social intervention, social opportunities, community mobilization, and organizational development or change. Assessment findings showed that communities with gangs had socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, generational, and local policy characteristics that distinguished them from other communities. Given this diversity of community factors, the researchers concluded that different kinds of community mobilization and strategies must be tailored to particular communities. Based on the assessment, the researchers developed 10 program models and manuals. Audiences targeted by these models and manuals are the police; prosecutors; judges; probation, corrections, and parole officers; schools; business and industry; community-based youth agencies; and grassroots organizations. Two additional cross-cutting, systemwide models and manuals are designed for general community planning and mobilizations.