Fresno Countywide Gang Prevention Assessment

OJJDP Assessment Guide Why Focus on Gangs and Not Juvenile Delinquency? Initial and continuous problem assessment using qualitative and quantitative data. Once the problem is described, an implementation plan is developed for coordinating efforts of and sharing appropriate information among those who work with gang youth on a daily basis.

What Will Be Covered Today Current Resources & Activities Community Perceptions Gang Data Recommendations

Current Activities & Resources Schools – Student Survey Resource Assessment (in progress)

Dr. Jason Kissner Middle School Surveys

Salient Points From Survey Estimated Prevalence Estimated Gang Membership Prevalence 5.3% - 9.6%

Salient Points From Survey Gender & Gang Involvement

Salient Points From Survey Current Gang Membership Predictors P ValueSignificant?Exp(B) Age.733NoN/A Grades.003Yes.562 Enjoy School.831NoN/A Intact.672NoN/A Parental Control.630NoN/A Adult Morals.294NoN/A Adult Illegal Behavior.946NoN/A Neighborhood Disorder.011Yes1.812 Self-Control.000Yes3.427 Gang Involved Father.093One-Tailed, Yes2.873 Gang Involved Siblings.500NoN/A Gang Involved Aunts, Uncles, Cousins.111Marginally Significant, One- Tailed 2.290

Current Gang Membership Predictors P ValueSignificant?Exp(B) Age.733NoN/A Grades.003Yes.562 Enjoy School.831NoN/A Intact.672NoN/A Parental Control.630NoN/A Adult Morals.294NoN/A Adult Illegal Behavior.946NoN/A Neighborhood Disorder.011Yes1.812 Self-Control.000Yes3.427 Gang Involved Father.093One-Tailed, Yes2.873 Gang Involved Siblings.500NoN/A Gang Involved Aunts, Uncles, Cousins.111Marginally Significant, One- Tailed 2.290

“What parents do provide might be more important than what parents fail to provide”

Current Activities & Resources “A caring relationship plus a job lift a gang member from the streets into the American Mainstream.”

Current Activities & Resources “California Youth Outreach is dedicated to reaching out to all gang impacted youth, families and their communities with education services, intervention programs and resource opportunities that support a positive and healthy lifestyle..”

Current Activities & Resources “By developing a network of influencers who reside in the community, building their capacity and organizing them around the same objective, southwest Fresno will have a structure that leverages relationships to effectively compete with the gangs in their community.”

Current Activities & Resources BI provides agencies with innovative compliance technologies, industry-leading monitoring services, and evidence-based supervision and treatment programs for community-based parolees, probationers, and pretrial defendants.

Current Activities & Resources Targeted Intervention Services

Melanie Briones Community Perceptions = regular focus groups = focus groups w/ current & former gang members. Includes participants from non- metro areas (SE County)

Key Findings (to date) 1.NIMBY – Not In My Backyard 2.“Wannabe” gang members 3.Poor parenting is the problem 4.Lack of meaningful activities and future prospects in communities 5.Lack of police visibility and “community connection” 6.Parental denial

Gang Data Challenges

Closing Remarks & Recommendations 1.Focus on specific gang affected places –Engage youth in activities –Include Parent component –Needs to be relational/ “street credibility” –Needs to be attractive/ ability to make money

Closing Remarks & Recommendations 1.Clarify intervention –Define and understand membership: focus strategies accordingly –Look to improve current programs that address our target population: what barriers exist that we can facilitate

Closing Remarks & Recommendations 1.Explore proven programs/strategies for implementation –Community education and gang awareness –Training/Capacity Building for Agencies: Cultural Competence, How community understands the law –Community Policing and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) –Ceasefire Model

Closing Remarks & Recommendations 1.Explore policies on placement of children from gang involved homes and gang involved youth in school –One of many strategies available –Need mechanism to I.D. kids early and focus services

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” - Joel Barker