NCJ Number
149178
Date Published
1993
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Los Angeles County received a Public Housing Drug Elimination Program (PHDEP) grant in 1990 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase the law enforcement presence in the Nueva Maravilla public housing development and to establish drug prevention programs.
Abstract
Nueva Maravilla has 504 low-rise units and is the second largest public housing development managed by the Los Angeles Housing Authority. Most of the residents are Hispanic, 32 percent are under 18 years of age, and 59 percent of the families report annual incomes of less than $10,000. Drug use and sales and gang-related activity represent the major crime concerns of residents. The PHDEP program in Nueva Maravilla was designed to reduce crime victimization and fear of crime and to increase the quality of life for residents. A comprehensive program was developed that included a drug prevention/intervention program, drug and gang investigations, and physical security improvements. La Familia, the drug prevention/intervention program, focuses on counseling and referral, antitruancy and tutoring, an onsite alternative school, and a summer day camp. The philosophy of La Familia is to address the needs of the entire family, not just the individual resident who requests assistance and support. Drug investigations are conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Gang investigations aim to identify all known gang members. In addition, increased law enforcement is provided during outbreaks of threatened or actual gang violence. Physical security improvements include fencing and a security system to limit access to some housing complexes. An evaluation of the PHDEP program in Nueva Maravilla indicates it increased resident quality of life and decreased crime victimization and fear of crime. Nonetheless, residents continued to rank drugs and gangs as moderate to serious problems.