Dedication
Foreword
Part One: AMERICA’S NIGHTMARE
The Problem
The Denial
Why Now?
Just How Bad Can This Get?
How Are Communities Responding?
What Is Working
Part Two: 100 TACTICS FOR SAVING YOUR COMMUNITY FROM GANGS
1 Proclaim a New Social Norm: Citizens Set the Strategy
Executive Summary
2 Face Down Community Denial
3 Develop Overall Community Ownership of the Plan
4 “View the Seeds of the Problem”
5 Pick a Civic Group Champion
6 Empower Your Mayor to Lead — Or Elect a New One Who Will
7 Reach Deep into the Community for Your Plan
8 Separate, Empower the Operational Council
9 Focus on the Worst Problems First
10 Create the Vision and Clear Goals
11 Tear Down the Walls — Relationships Matter
12 Fund Measured Programs That Work
13 Expect Resistance after Years of Heads Buried in the Sand
14 Harness Faith-Based Interventions
15 Set Clear Goals from 10,000 Feet
16 Measurement Is Everything — Indicators to Steer By
17 Assure an Independent Audit
18 Conduct Baseline Survey of Student Perceptions
19 Make Sure the News Media Understands
20 Train Community Leaders as well as the Providers
21 Communicate Aggressively, Continuously
22 Partner with Your Local University
23 Reconnect Community and Schools
24 Publish a Gang Awareness Resource to the Community
25 Expand After School Activities, Police Athletic League
26 Seed Each High School with Student Leaders Trained in Mediation,Inclusiveness, Race Relations, Non-Violence
27 Let the Kids Design “Stop Bullying” Programs
28 Small School Efforts Pay Dividends
29 Deflect Violence with Non-confrontational Conversations
30 Create Safe Street Teams
31 Camps Build Trust with Police
32 Deliver Creative School Interventions in Elementary,Middle and High School
33 Gang Exit Centers – Rescuing Kids from Gangs
34 Middle Schoolers Targeted as Key Rural Strategy
35 Generate Amazing Results with Restorative Justice in Schools
36 Teach Business English, Social Skills in Elementary School
37 Take Truancy Interventions to the Homes
38 Go With Special Efforts to Target Hard to Reach Hispanic Youth
39 Train School Board Members and “Student Advocates”
40 De-Glamorize Gang Culture
41 Consider Fifteen Absolutely Essential School Anti-Gang Initiatives
42 Challenge and Reward At-Risk Elementary and Middle School Kids Directly
43 D.A.R.E. Works – Bring It Back. Strengthen It.
44 Deploy the Boys & Girls Clubs in Targeted Schools
45 Lights On After School
46 Remove Graffiti Immediately
47 HireAt-RiskYouth
48 GPS Gang Members like High-risk Sex Offenders
49 Hold Regular Gang Prevention Community Meetings
50 Engineer Second Chances for Exiting Gang Members
51 Bring Civil Suits Against Gang Members
52 Open and Program Your Recreation Centers at Night
53 Send a Strong Message to Teens That They Are Important to the Community
54 Develop a Support Program for Parents of Gang Members
55 Create a Youth-Led Movement Against Violence
56 Use Great Resources Well – But Don’t Over Complicate Your Plan
57 Strengthen Prevention with the Arts
58 Cool Bus Picks Up Kids for After School Activities
59 Create Interventions for the 19- to 25-Year-Olds
60 Proclaim Youth Violence Prevention Week
61 Create a Funding Strategy and Build Neighborhood Centers
62 Operate a Confidential Telephone Tip Line
63 Develop Violent Crime Suppression Teams
64 Operate a Confidential Texting Program
65 Create Sporting Events Especially for At-Risk Kids
6 Bring in the Hospitals for Powerful Interventions
67 Form a Prisoner Re-entry Council
68 Create a Focused Strike Team for a Hardened Base of Crime
69 Work with Your State Elected Officials.Much Can Be Done
70 Create Special Events to Raise Funds and Awareness
71 Get Business Fired Up
72 Study CeaseFire as a Strategic Option
73 Mainstream At-Risk Kids into Normal Channels
74 Create a Season of Peace Campaign
75 Offer Life Altering Tattoo Removal
76 Call in a Warning to the Gang Leaders
77 Enforce Curfew with Sweeps
78 Get At-Risk Kids into Outdoor Adventure, Exploration
79 Create Robust Summer Activities, Jobs for At-Risk Kids
80 Insist On a Planned Budget for Gang Prevention Strategy
81 Nurture Growth of Neighborhood Crime Watch Programs
82 Set Up Family Days and Neighborhood Nights
83 Explain the Situation in Detail to Your Citizens
84 Quit Imprisoning Nonviolent Offenders
85 Work Closely with Neighboring Jurisdictions
86 Know At-Risk Kids by Name
87 Promote Your Initiatives Using Websites and Social Media
88 Expand the Role of Police with Community Policing
89 Deploy Prosecutors in the Neighborhoods with Community Prosecution
90 Call for Injunctions Against Specific Gangs
91 Don’t Let Gangs Take Over Your Shopping Mall
92 Check your State Gang Statutes –Prosecute Gang Recruitment
93 Cultural Targeting of Parenting Classes Creates Support Groups
94 Consider the Judicial Innovation of Community Courts
95 Attack Poverty’s Impact on Young People with a Youth Enrichment Zone
96 Share, Communicate, Cooperate with Regional Gang Summits
97 HouseCalls
98 Confront Gangs with a Trained Ministers Ride-Along Campaign
99 Walking School Bus Creates Safer Neighborhoods
100 Honor the Heroes – Create Peace Prize for Interventionists
Endnotes
Bibliography
About the Authors
