DOJ Announces More Than $24 Million in Funding To Promote Anti-Gang Initiative

The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced more than $24 million to support the school-based Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program at the National Youth Gang Symposium.

"Eliminating the threat of gangs to our families and our communities means intervening and preventing gang membership among our youth, while enforcing laws to protect our citizens," said Tracy A. Henke, acting assistant attorney general for the Office of Justice Programs. "The Department of Justice is committed to supporting a unified community approach, which includes partnerships at every level of society to combat gang violence."

The G.R.E.A.T. Program, administered by OJP's Bureau of Justice Assistance, includes funding to support a curriculum that aims to prevent youth violence and gang involvement. Law enforcement officers go to elementary and middle schools to teach the curriculum and develop positive relationships with law enforcement, families, and youth. Five regional training centers provide training to sworn law enforcement officers to certify them to teach the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum in elementary and middle schools across the country. Regional training centers are located in Phoenix , AZ ; Orange County , FL ; Portland , OR : Philadelphia , PA ; and LaCrosse, WI. Visit www.great-online.org for regional contact information.

OJP provides national leadership in a variety of anti-gang efforts. In 1994, OJP's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention established the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) to expand and maintain information about youth gangs and to develop effective responses. In addition to conducting research and analysis, the NYGC provides training and assistance to OJP-funded projects and hosts the National Youth Gang Symposium.

Programs Working To Reduce Gang Violence

National gang statistics show that in 1996

• Gangs were prevalent in more than 4,800 jurisdictions; by 2002 that number had dropped to 2,264 jurisdictions.
• There were approximately 31,000 gangs; that number had dropped to approximately 21,500 gangs by 2002.
• There were approximately 846,000 gang members; by 2002 that number had dropped to 731,500 gang members.

Following is a selection of programs working to address gang violence:

Gang Awareness Training Education (G.A.T.E.)

G.A.T.E. is a school-based, anti-gang education program whose goal is to demystify gangs and the gang subculture. G.A.T.E. targets fifth through eighth graders and is taught by law enforcement officers from the community they serve. Contact information: www.openthegate.org; 410 Cardinal Drive , Bartlett , IL 60103 ; 630-973-0235; info@openthegate.org.

Gang Outreach

Gang Outreach is a faith-based, award-winning, multiracial, multicultural gang prevention and intervention program in Lake County, IL, providing services designed to positively influence the lives of at-risk youth in four areas: developmentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Contact information: www.gangoutreach.com; PO Box 655 , Mundelein , IL 60062 ; 847-249-0558.

Gang Prevention, Inc.

Gang Prevention, Inc., provides quality training, consulting services, and expert testimony to law enforcement, military, corrections, probation, parole, prosecution, judicial, and educational entities in the areas of street gang awareness, activity, and identification, as well as all aspects of lethal and nonlethal force applications. Contact information: www.gangpreventioninc.com; 773-774-0900; gangprev@flash.net.

The Southwest Missouri Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth Violence

The Southwest Missouri Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth facilitates partnerships between social services, educational institutions, juvenile and criminal justice systems, and members of the community to prevent and reduce gangs and youth violence. Contact information: www.associations.smsu.edu/nogangs/; 300 South Jefferson, Springfield , MO 65806 -2203; 417-888-2020.

Join Together

Join Together supports community-based efforts to reduce, prevent, and treat substance abuse. In 1996, Join Together broadened its scope to include gun violence prevention, supported by a grant from the Joyce Foundation. Contact information: www.jointogether.org; One Appleton Street , 4 th Floor, Boston , MA 02116 -5223; 617-437-1500; fax 617-437-9394; info@jointogether.org.

National Center for Conflict Resolution Education

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program fund a cooperative agreement with the Illinois State Bar Association to promote the training and technical assistance provided by the National Center for Conflict Resolution Education. Through this federal project, the center promotes the development of conflict resolution education programs in schools, juvenile justice arenas, and youth service organizations. Contact information: www.resolutioneducation.com; PO Box 17241 , Urbana , IL 61803 ; 217-384-4118; fax 217-384-4322; info@resolutioneducation.com.

National Gang Crime Research Center

The National Gang Crime Research Center is a nonprofit independent agency that does research on gangs and gang members, disseminates information through publications and reports, and provides training and consulting services. Contact information: www.ngcrc.com; PO Box 990 , Peotone , IL 60468-0990 ; 708-258-9111; fax 708-258-9546; gangcrime@aol.com.

National Youth Gang Center

The National Youth Gang Center assists policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in their efforts to reduce youth gang involvement and crime by contributing information, resources, practical tools, and expertise toward the development and implementation of effective gang prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies. Contact information: www.iir.com/nygc/; PO Box 12729 , Tallahassee , FL 32317 ; 850-385-0600; fax 850-386-5356; nygc@iir.com.