Development of Comprehensive Prevention and Intervention Responses to Gangs

The National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) proposes to provide training and technical assistance to those communities receiving funding under the Gang Prevention Coordination Assistance Program to strengthen the coordination function with anticipated outcomes of improved identification, use, and integration of existing local, state, and federal programs and resources. Training and technical assistance will be chiefly provided on-site by experienced social service providers, law enforcement officers, outreach workers, staff who have been personally involved in multistrategy anti-gang projects, and by NYGC staff.
NCA/NCF

OJJDP FY 09 Demonstration Programs Division Grants was established to provide grants, cooperative agreements and other assistance to organizations designated by OJJDP, as authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sections 5601 et seq.) and statutes appropriating funds for juvenile justice program.

Since 1995, the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) has operated the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Since 2003, IIR has also operated the National Gang Center (NGC) for the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). While NYGC has traditionally focused on younger gang members, emphasizing prevention and intervention strategies and a comprehensive approach, NGC concentrates on services and products targeting street gang members of all ages and delivers technical assistance and training primarily to law enforcement officers. BJA and OJJDP have agreed to merge the two centers and jointly fund the new organization, which will be named the National Gang Center. This program will implement the merger and operate the National Gang Center for 15 months in support of OJJDP's goals and objectives. Proposed activities include: (1) develop and provide resources to local, state, and federal policymakers; law enforcement; practitioners; and researchers, to assist in development of effective anti-gang prevention and intervention strategies; and (2) provide technical assistance and training to communities and organizations planning and implementing anti-gang strategies. NCA/NCF

OJJDP's Demonstration Programs Division Grants were established to provide grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117) -- H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366.

The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) operated the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) from 1995 until October 2009, when, with additional funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), NYGC became the National Gang Center (NGC). NGC continues to support both OJJDP and BJA, conducting research related to street gangs and delivering training and technical assistance to individuals and organizations and to community coalitions implementing multi-strategy approaches. OJJDP has invited IIR to apply for funding to operate the National Gang Center for 12 months to do the following: develop and provide information to policymakers, and resources to practitioners and researchers to assist in development of effective anti-gang prevention and intervention strategies; provide technical assistance and training to communities and organizations planning and implementing anti-gang strategies; support multiagency anti-gang initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods and the Administration's Youth Violence Initiative, at OJJDP's direction; and collaborate with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and at the direction of OJJDP and BJA, plan and conduct a National Gang Symposium. NCA/NCF