Mobilizing Communities to Address Gang Problems

• NCJ Number: 234964
• Date Published: January 2009
• Author(s): James C. Howell; G. David Curry
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2006-JV-FX-K002
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored; BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Issue Overview

Annotation

This edition of the National Youth Gang Center Bulletin presents the results of a literature review on community-mobilization initiatives.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this literature review on community mobilization initiatives was to identify potentially effective steps that have proven useful for successful implementation of the initiatives. The review begins with a discussion of the definition of community organization and community mobilization. This is followed by a listing of initiatives that have addressed gang problems that include: The Chicago Area Project (1929-1962); Mobilization for Youth, New York City (1961-67); Crisis Intervention Network, Philadelphia (1974-1987); DHHS's Youth Gang Drug Prevention Program; A Community-University Model for Gang Intervention and Delinquency Prevention in Small Cities; MAD DADS; Alliance of Concerned Men; The Community Reclamation Project; Communities That Care; and Community Change for Youth Development. This is followed by a section that presents a review of research on the implementation of community mobilization efforts in 5 gang program demonstration sites, and a final section on 12 key elements that can be found in a successful community mobilization program. References