NT OF ME J T US U.S. Department of Justice R T A I P C E E D
B
O J C S F A Office of Justice Programs V M F O I N A C I J S R E BJ G O OJJ DP O F PR Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention JUSTICE
Shay Bilchik, Administrator July 1999 #112
Implementing the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model by Jim Burch and Candice Kane, Ph.D.
In 1995, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Preven- each youth. The MGIP gang detectives and probation officers tion (OJJDP) awarded grants to five communities to implement hold program youth accountable through surveillance and routine and test a model program to reduce gang crime and violence. The monitoring and support street outreach workers and staff from OJJDP (or “Spergel”) Model includes five strategies for dealing community-based agencies who ensure delivery of services such with gang-involved youth and their communities. These strategies as counseling, job referrals, drug and alcohol treatment, and other are: (1) mobilizing community leaders and residents to plan, social services. The Arizona Supreme Court, Administrative strengthen, or create new opportunities or linkages to existing Office of the Court, has recently provided additional support to organizations for gang-involved and at-risk youth; (2) using MGIP for a computer literacy lab for youth in the target area. outreach workers to engage gang-involved youth; (3) providing and facilitating access to academic, economic, and social oppor- Tucson Gang Project tunities; (4) conducting gang suppression activities and holding The Tucson Gang Project, affiliated with the OUR Town Family gang-involved youth accountable; and (5) facilitating organiza- Center of Tuscon, AZ, focuses on 4 Tuscon neighborhoods where tional change and development to help community agencies 4 main gangs with an estimated 350 members are located. The better address gang problems through a team "problem-solving" project operates from offices in a Boys & Girls Club in the target approach that is consistent with the philosophy of community area. Street outreach workers, probation officers, a police gang unit oriented policing. The model and its strategies are designed and officer, and others work daily to provide services and opportuni- targeted based on a strategic problem assessment and imple- ties and to encourage constructive and positive activities and mented sequentially. At each of the five sites, a steering commit- accountability for negative or criminal acts to youth targeted by tee made up of key community leaders and staff from local the project. Weekly outreach staff meetings are supplemented by agencies provides overall direction and guidance. weekly meetings of the entire project team to review progress and Although the demonstration phase of the projects will not end for reevaluate community needs. The project recently added the Boys some time, each site has seen important preliminary results. This & Girls Clubs of America’s Gang Prevention Through Targeted Fact Sheet offers a preview of programs at each site and should Outreach Program, which focuses on younger at-risk youth, to its be helpful to any community attempting to address gang crime strategy. A community justice effort, led by the Pima County and violence. These descriptions are intended to highlight the District Attorney’s Office, is also underway in the area and essence of the model—a coordinated team approach to delivering potential links to the project are being examined. services and problem solving. Riverside Comprehensive Communitywide Approach Mesa Gang Intervention Project to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression The target area for the Mesa (AZ) Gang Intervention Project This project of the City of Riverside (CA) Police Department (MGIP), coordinated by the City of Mesa Police Department, focuses on 2 communities in the city known to be high gang crime is defined by the service areas of 2 junior high schools, home to areas and home to 21 gangs with approximately 1,230 members. approximately 18 gangs with an estimated 650 members. A team Outreach workers and employees of other service agencies meet of 2 gang detectives, 1 adult and 3 juvenile probation officers, weekly to discuss service needs. They also meet regularly with and 2 street outreach workers monitors and provides services police and probation officers to discuss area safety, gang activities, daily to the 100 youth in the project. The MGIP team operates and accountability issues. Outreach workers encourage youth to out of a storefront office in the target community and uses a team attend school, obtain job training, seek regular employment, and problem-solving approach to ensure that progress is made with use social services. Police and probation officers make home visits, U.S. Department of Justice PRESORTED STANDARD Office of Justice Programs POSTAGE & FEES PAID DOJ/OJJDP Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention PERMIT NO. G–91
Washington, DC 20531 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300
Fact Sheet FS–99112
tactical units, and others to provide services, opportunities, and opportunities, services, provide to others and units, tactical FS–99112
Commission staff, city police assigned to community policing and policing community to assigned police city staff, Commission
agency employees, probation officers, a job developer, Texas Youth Texas developer, job a officers, probation employees, agency
of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime. of Victims for Office the and Justice, of
members. Street-based outreach workers assist other social service social other assist workers outreach Street-based members.
Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute National the Statistics, Justice of Bureau the Assistance, Justice
side of the city, is home to 15 gangs with an estimated 1,664 estimated an with gangs 15 to home is city, the of side nent of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Bureau the includes also which Programs, Justice of Office the of nent
Program (GRAASP), located on the outer limits of the southwest the of limits outer the on located (GRAASP), Program The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a compo- a is Prevention Delinquency and Justice Juvenile of Office The
Department’s Gang Rehabilitation, Assessment, and Services and Assessment, Rehabilitation, Gang Department’s
The target community of the City of San Antonio (TX) Police (TX) Antonio San of City the of community target The at the University of Chicago. of University the at
Kane is Project Director for OJJDP’s gang technical assistance project assistance technical gang OJJDP’s for Director Project is Kane and Services Program Services and
of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Candice Prevention. Delinquency and Justice Juvenile of Office the of San Antonio Gang Rehabilitation, Assessment, Rehabilitation, Gang Antonio San
Jim Burch is a Program Manager with the Special Emphasis Division Emphasis Special the with Manager Program a is Burch Jim
involvement.
Web site, www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org (Internet). www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org site, Web added to the project and will focus on youth at high risk of gang of risk high at youth on focus will and project the to added
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, 800–638–8736, or visit OJJDP’s visit or 800–638–8736, Clearinghouse, Justice Juvenile Program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America has recently been recently has America of Clubs Girls & Boys the of Program
For additional information about youth gangs, call OJJDP’s call gangs, youth about information additional For joining gangs. The Gang Prevention Through Targeted Outreach Targeted Through Prevention Gang The gangs. joining
For Further Information Further For Program (JUMP) grant that provides services to youth at risk for risk at youth to services provides that grant (JUMP) Program
The project has been enhanced by an OJJDP Juvenile Mentoring Juvenile OJJDP an by enhanced been has project The
surveillance and sanctions for gang crime in Bloomington/Normal. in crime gang for sanctions and surveillance further light on the process and outcomes in each of these sites. these of each in outcomes and process the on light further
prosecutor’s office, work closely to provide increased gang increased provide to closely work office, prosecutor’s demonstration effort, funded by OJJDP, is expected to shed to expected is OJJDP, by funded effort, demonstration
with other justice agencies, such as probation and the county the and probation as such agencies, justice other with gang problems. The University of Chicago’s evaluation of the of evaluation Chicago’s of University The problems. gang
return in the near future. Bloomington and Normal police, along police, Normal and Bloomington future. near the in return knowledge about responding to chronic and emerging youth emerging and chronic to responding about knowledge
in the community and those who are incarcerated but expect to expect but incarcerated are who those and community the in learned many lessons that are expected to greatly enhance greatly to expected are that lessons many learned
overall gang activities. Outreach workers assist both project youth project both assist workers Outreach activities. gang overall Over the past 4 years, project participants at the five sites have sites five the at participants project years, 4 past the Over
progress of project youth, special problems in the cities, and cities, the in problems special youth, project of progress University of Chicago Evaluation Chicago of University
juvenile probation, and school resource officers who review the review who officers resource school and probation, juvenile
Police Department’s Proactive Unit and juvenile parole, adult and adult parole, juvenile and Unit Proactive Department’s Police activities with local neighborhood associations. neighborhood local with activities
are supplemented by monthly meetings between the Bloomington the between meetings monthly by supplemented are ational opportunities for project youth, and other community other and youth, project for opportunities ational
members are located. Regular team meetings for outreach workers outreach for meetings team Regular located. are members have organized graffiti paintouts, community health fairs, recre- fairs, health community paintouts, graffiti organized have
and Normal, IL, in its target area where 8 gangs with 640 gang 640 with gangs 8 where area target its in IL, Normal, and operate out of a project office near the target area. Project staff Project area. target the near office project a of out operate
Run by Project OZ, Inc., this project includes all of Bloomington of all includes project this Inc., OZ, Project by Run regularly. The project coordinator, outreach staff, and job developer job and staff, outreach coordinator, project The regularly.
Bloomington/Normal Youth Impact, Inc. Impact, Youth Bloomington/Normal outside of scheduled meetings and informal meetings take place take meetings informal and meetings scheduled of outside
police, probation officers, and other GRAASP staff also occurs also staff GRAASP other and officers, probation police,
or accountability issues arise, although communication between communication although arise, issues accountability or project. gang the to linked is that program
Police and probation officers are available to meet whenever safety whenever meet to available are officers probation and Police outreach school-based prevention-oriented, new a and Boards
meet monthly to discuss coordination and case management. case and coordination discuss to monthly meet Accountability Youth of development Department’s Probation the
including arrest for criminal or delinquent acts. Outreach workers Outreach acts. delinquent or criminal for arrest including by enhanced been also has project The youth. project on controls
support to youth in the program while also providing sanctions providing also while program the in youth to support other maintain and arrests, make surveillance, area perform