COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT YAKIMA COUNTY GANG COMMISSION

AGENDA Types of Data Comparison of Results Specific Indicators Key Findings

TYPES OF DATA Community Data Community Members Community Leaders Youth Serving Organizations Law Enforcement Data Gang Members Parents of Gang Members School/Youth Data Students School Staff

DATA FROM SURVEYS Dissatisfaction with current response to gangs Community Leaders 64% Community Members 76%

DATA FROM SURVEYS Top reported cause of gang problem Community Leaders Family/Friends in Gang Community Members Family/Friends in Gang School Staff Cultural/Family Gang Member Poverty

DATA FROM SURVEYS Top problem gangs present Community Leaders Graffiti/ Vandalism Community Members Increased Violence School Staff Bullying Students Fights with other gangs

DATA FROM SURVEYS How should the problem of gangs be solved Community Leaders More Parental Involvement Community Members Programs/ Recreation

COMMUNITY LEADER SURVEY

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS

GANG MEMBERS Are you employed? 12% Yes85% No4% Unknown Are you in School? 50% Yes46% No4% Unknown

GANG MEMBERS

PARENTS OF GANG MEMBERS

STUDENTS

SCHOOL STAFF

KEY FINDINGS Yakima County has an environment that contains multiple risk factors for gang involvement including a culture of poverty which is magnified by single parenting, low adult educational attainment, and high seasonal unemployment rates. The presence of these factors varies widely amongst communities within the County.

KEY FINDINGS Yakima County has a high rate of at-risk youth with multiple risk factors for gang involvement including higher rates of school failure, a high teen birth rate, suicide and suicide attempts, depression, illegal drug use, alcohol use, and low neighborhood attachment. Students also report feeling less safe in school.

KEY FINDINGS Yakima County contains wide disparities in race and ethnicity, income, crime, and educational attainment. There are also undercurrents of conflict related to those differences as demonstrated in the survey responses.

KEY FINDINGS A lack of common definitions and criteria for Gang Membership and Gang Activity made the analysis of Gang Crime difficult. Additionally, the old system for tracking law enforcement activity called for individual assessments of incident reports, this and the absence of a dedicated Crime Analyst has also been a challenge in assessing crime activity.

QUESTIONS?