NCJ Number
149241
Journal
News From Funders Against Substance Abuse Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1993) Pages: 1-4
Date Published
1993
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This bulletin informs communities on how to deal with gang violence.
Abstract
The first news item suggests offering juveniles alternatives to gang activities. Such alternative might include projects in creative art and writing, scholarships which motivate gang members to advance their education, youth centers which provide safe havens from the streets, and using gang members as assistants in rehabilitating their neighborhood. The second item is an interview with gang expert Luis Casanova exploring how foundations can help to combat gang violence. Casanova explains how the Chicago Community Trust, which is funded by Chicago foundations, corporations, and civic groups, has been successful in curbing gang violence. The trust offers educational, athletic, recreational, and job activities to at-risk juveniles. The third item describes the response of Chicago's Logan Square community to persistent rival gang fighting. In a step-by-step program, the Street Intervention Program first gained the trust of the gang members, then opened the doors of the local YMCA to gang members, helped gang members with finding jobs or finishing school, and visited arrested gang members to make peace among the gangs. A selective listing of available grants and foundation moneys is appended.