The gang intervention program was initiated to reduce the gangster activities that took place in the neighborhoods by formulating research related interventions to assist curb the issue from the society. They incorporated methods that addressed personal, family matters and community as a whole that resulted to juvenile delinquency promoting the gangster activities. For the program to be successful it has integrated authorities from local and state and their resources to intervene prevent and suppress the gang actions from the society.
The History
The history of the Juvenile justice program was enforced by the statute in 1995 in December to unite the disparate local and state offices that were responsible for the factors that were related to the juvenile justice system. This program is a single agency governed by the state, which intervened the gang activities in juvenile through the central authority. The central authority planned and formed policy developments that provided services to the system.
The Mission
The mission of the Gang Intervention Program is to join forces with the youth and their families to put the violence activity to an end and maintain safety in the society. It incorporated innovative approaches to assist the youth to gain knowledge and experience to adapt positive virtues (Hess, 2009). This could in turn assist the youth to convert their negative attitude into positive one hence creating good impact in the community. To achieve their mission, they provided services like counseling, which was conducted to individuals and their families with help of licensed therapists. They also offered case management, recreational activities and participation in constructive activities in the community to keep them busy and avoid the gang activities. The approaches also instilled the youth with skills in communication, team building and leadership.
The Goals
The gang intervention program had several goals that included; preventing and intervening on the matter by reducing the number of the juvenile who participated in the gang activity by encouraging them to stop the crimes. They also advised and supported the community members to coordinate and fight against the gang activities. Another aim was to instill cooperation among the juvenile justice, social service agencies and the law enforcers to curb the problem by reducing the number of juveniles who indulged in the illegal activities. The program also aimed at creating positive relationships among the youth and all the disciplines that were involved. Their other goal was to stress how partnering with the private sector was significant and how it benefited the community and juveniles from the risk that was caused by the gang violence. Juveniles were assisted in a way that the community initiated programs to help them develop skills to focus in future. This was initiated by recruiting members of the society and representatives to give alternative programs to keep the juveniles who were at risk to live an organized life.
Success of the Program
The gang intervention program has succeeded in mobilizing members of the community who include the former gang group and the local citizens in coordination of the program and its function across the agencies. It has also succeeded in initiating opportunities like training, employment to target the youth who are involved in the gang activities (Chaskin, 2010). The program has also developed and implemented policies that have resulted in effective use of available resources across the agencies to tackle the gang problem. This was achieved by provision of safe and gang free schools in the society.
References
Chaskin, R. J. (2010). Youth Gangs and Community Intervention: Research, Practice, and
Evidence. Washington: Columbia University Press. Retrieved on 15th March, 2012 from
http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=EgN88tDGkZQC&dq=Juvenile+Justice%3B+Gang+
intervention+prog
Hess, K. M. (2009). Juvenile Justice. Canada: Cengage Learning. Retrieved on 15th March, 2012
from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=fM-
klUeEqEQC&dq=Juvenile+Justice%3B+Gang+intervention+progra
Howell, J. C. (2011). Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs. London:
DIANE Publishing. Retrieved on 15th March, 2012 from
http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=fnKIRcyqEq0C&dq=Juvenile+Justice%3B+Gang+in
tervention+progra
Spergel, I. A. (1993). Gang Suppression & Intervention: An Assessment. London: DIANE
Publishing. Retrieved on 15th March, 2012 from
http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=Rp0dVyyiD_0C&dq=Juvenile+Justice%3B+Gang+i
ntervention+progr
