Gang membership prevention strategies specifically target at-risk youth. Preventive awareness strategies are designed to reduce gang membership for all youth, regardless of risk level. All nurses can be key players in finding solutions to the problem of gang violence and the field of public health, including public health nurses and other providors, is eager to support these efforts. For example, to date, no programs have been developed which attempt to prevent the formation of gangs.
BJA has also developed and is supporting the delivery of the “Gangs 101” course for communities, which brings together law enforcement with other community organizations to develop a common understanding and shared commitment to address the gang problem. BJA is working closely with its federal partners and through its National Gang Center to provide communities and, specifically, law enforcement with extensive training in anti-gang strategies. In FY 2007 the Department again awarded nearly $15 million in funding for 167 local law enforcement G.R.E.A.T. programs. The U.S. Attorneys have held their summits, which have reached over 10,000 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, social service providers, prevention practitioners, and members of the faith-based community. In an effort to assist federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combating gang activity within the United States and abroad, the BOP has detailed staff to the NGIC, the GangTECC, and the NDIC, and BOP staff are assigned to the Safe Street Task Forces in 10 locations throughout the United States. Linked with RISSGang is ATF’s gang intelligence information as well as many other state and federal agencies and programs, including the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) for Reimagining gangs and gang members research example.
His main source of extra income comes from work he does for his cousins who are involved in an aboriginal gang. He has been accepted into an upgrading program and while he sees this as a chance to make a better life, he knows that he has never been very good at school work and is worried that he will not make it or will get kicked out as he has in the past. Daniel tries to be supportive but other than telling her not to take the stuff doesn’t know what else to do.
The Impact of Gang Culture on Community Dynamics
In FY 2005, the DHSremoved 89,406 criminal aliens-68,840 of whom were from Mexico and7,642 of whom were from Central America. Congress and the Administration shouldalso join with key states to enhance resources at the border asthey relate to criminal activity by illegal aliens. The NGIC is anticipated to allow lawenforcement to identify linkages between gang members and gangactivities across the nation. Whether it is sharing successful policiesand effective innovations or analyzing data and otherintelligence, the federal government is situated to perform thisfunction. However, the federal government is not the only institution thatcould provide such a service. In addition, the federal government has a role in producing andcoordinating research and information sharing when the statesare unable to do so in their individual capacities.
Reducing Crime Among Youth at Risk for Gang Involvement
While criminal street gangs are a problem common to all ofthe states, the crimes that they commit are almost entirelyand inherently local in nature and regulated by state criminal law,law enforcement, and courts. Federal programs are based on the myth that the federalgovernment is more effective than state law enforcement in fightingcrime. Criminalstreet gangs are a problem common to all the states, but the crimesthat they commit are almost entirely and inherently local in natureand regulated by state criminal law, law enforcement, andcourts. They alsoadvocate expanding current national government programs thought toaddress gang crime, even though little evidence suggests that theexisting national programs are successful in gang prevention orsuppression. Due tothe public safety concerns posed by criminal gangs, Members ofCongress, including Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and RobertMenendez (D-NJ), have proposed expanding the nationalgovernment’s role in fighting crime into what has been thetraditional realm of state and local governments. The Department has organized and supportedthe following programs aimed at preventing youth entry into gangs, and givingrecently released prisoners an alternative to gang membership.
Collaboration with Law Enforcement and Community Organizations
- Instead of subsidizing theroutine activities of state criminal justice systems, the federalgovernment should stick to handling tasks that are within itsconstitutionally designed sphere and that state and localgovernments cannot perform by themselves.
- Much more is known about what is successful in preventing violence than what is successful in preventing gangs.
- Support, education, rehabilitation, and quarantine are part of a public health approach, and clearly gang membership increases an individual’s exposure to violence, perpetration, and victimization.
- Public health adds substantially to this knowledge by emphasizing the need for multiple, diverse collaborators and the reality that gang formation is the result of distal causes.
Limited opportunities for positive interaction between young people and adults. Information about benefits, subsidies and services is available to low income individuals and families. High number of families supported by income assistance payments or low-paying jobs. Help parents address and overcome patterns of family violence. Encourage/support parents facing cultural and language barriers to become involved with their children outside of the home.
