NCJ Number
247005
Date Published
May 2009
Length
139 pages
Annotation
This is a guide for assessing a community's youth gang problem in preparation for implementing the Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM), which was researched and developed with support from the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
Abstract
The CGM has five core strategies that are to be delivered through an integrated approach from a team of community agencies and organizations. It was tested in five selected sites, with the goal of reducing gang violence. An evaluation of the project has been conducted, yielding several positive results, including reduction in serious violent and property crime, a reduction of the gang involvement of older members, improved educational and employment status of gang members, and fewer total violent-crime and drug arrests (Spergel, 2007). The gang project is overseen by a steering committee of leaders from agencies and organizations that have an interest in or responsibility for addressing the community's gang problems. These representatives set policy and oversee the direction of the gang project; they are responsible for providing leadership in each of their organizations in removing barriers to implementing the gang model. Before providing guidance in assessing a community's gang-related problems, steps are explained in establishing the steering committee, the assessment work group, the research partner, and the project director. The guide then provides detailed information on collecting data pertinent to gangs from the domains of community demography, law enforcement, schools, and the general public. Guidance is also provided on an assessment of community resources relevant to the gang problem. Remaining sections of the guide profile data-collection tools and discuss how key assessment findings are to be used in designing and implementing the CGM. Extensive exhibits and 44 references