Saving Salinas from Gangs through GPTTO Replication

Youth gangs continue to have a significant adverse impact on youth, families, and communities across America. A growing number of communities have adopted multi-strategy, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and preventing gang activity. The OJJDP FY 2010 Youth Gang Prevention and Intervention Program provides funding for localities to replicate selected secondary gang prevention and intervention programs that are considered promising or effective. These programs must be a part of an existing community based comprehensive anti-gang initiative. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-117.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County will replicate the Gang Prevention Through Targeted Outreach (GPTTO) Program for youth ages 6 to 15 years old residing in Salinas, especially its East Salinas area. The initiative will include recruitment of 500 at-risk youth into the Boys & Girls Club, providing them with positive youth development programs,with a minimum of 200 of these youth receiving wrap around case management services and additional interest-based Club programs as well as services and programs provided by other youth serving agencies. The initiative includes mobilizing community based partners to further examine the gang problem and assist with implementation of this initiative through referrals, service provision and tracking. The overarching goal of the project is to prevent crime, deter gang involvement and help youth become productive and caring adults.

CA/NCF