NCJ Number
15404
Date Published
1974
Length
134 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION, PROGRAM, FINANCING, GOALS, AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PRIVATE AND CITY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WITH GANG CONTROL PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF GANGS. THEIR MEMBERSHIP, AND GANG VIOLENCE IS REVIEWED. OTHER CITIES' EXPERIENCES WITH GANG CONTROL PROGRAMS IS ALSO DISCUSSED BRIEFLY. AN ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE PHILADELPHIA PROGRAMS REVEALED A LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON THE INCIDENCE OF GANG WARFARE OTHER THAN HOMICIDE. THEREFORE, NO PRECISE EVALUATION COULD BE MADE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VARIOUS AGENCY PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THESE PROGRAMS DO HAVE SOME SHORT-TERM IMPACT. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT COVERED THE AREAS EXPERIMENTATION AND DATA COLLECTION, PROGRAM ELEMENTS, COORDINATION OF SERVICES, AND THE ROLE OF THE COURTS. SUGGESTIONS INCLUDED CONSIDERING ALL FUTURE GANG CONTROL PROGRAMS AS EXPERIMENTAL, ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF DATA COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION ON INCIDENTS OF GANG VIOLENCE, AND CONCENTRATING ON THE GANG LEADERSHIP AND CORE GANG MEMBERS.