Summer Night Lights Gang Reduction/Youth Development Program, Glassell Park Recreation Center

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

In 2008, the Mayor of Los Angeles' Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) took 'Summer Night Lights' (SNL) City-wide to eight locations; this summer, the plan is to expand to 16 sites. This funding will help support programming and expansion into the Glassell Park Recreation Center, which serves the communities of Glassell Park, Cypress Park, and Eagle Rock.

The goal of the SNL 2009 program is to decrease violence in the communities surrounding the 16 SNL sites. SNL is also part of the City-wide goal to reduce gang crimes by 15% in 2009. More specifically, SNL 2009 will offer ten weeks of expanded programming for high-risk youth, and will reach 100,000 youth and families throughout the summer. SNL will decrease violence during the summer of 2009 with a strategy consisting of three major components: (1) Extended Hours & Programming. All 16 SNL sites will offer targeted programming for at-risk youth until midnight, four nights a week. These additional hours will be filled with leadership, athletic and cultural activities. (2) Youth Squad. Ten Youth Squad members will be hired at each site (160 City-wide) to create the extended programs and staff the additional hours. Youth Squad members are at-risk youth, ages 13-18, and will receive stipends for their work. Training for the Youth Squad will be provided by The Pacific Institute, two weeks prior to kick-off. (3) Cease-Fire. Intervention specialists maintain cease-fires and interrupt violence throughout the summer, both on-site and in the surrounding community. NCA/NCF