The Gang-Free Spokane Project

Youth gangs continue to have a significant adverse impact on youth, families, and communities across America. A growing number of communities have adopted OJJDP’s Comprehensive Gang Model, a multistrategy, multidisciplinary approach that has proven to be effective in reducing gang activity. The fiscal year 2016 Comprehensive Antigang Strategies and Programs solicitation provides funding for localities to enhance coordination of federal, state, and local resources in support of community partnerships implementing the following antigang programs: primary prevention, secondary prevention, gang intervention, and targeted gang enforcement.

The Gang-Free Spokane Project is a partnership between the city of Spokane, Spokane Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff s Office, Department of Corrections, Spokane County Juvenile Court, THEZONE, Kingdom Fellowship Church Alliance, Next Generation Zone, American Ironworks, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and Spokane Public Schools. The Gang-Free Spokane Project will increase collaboration across agencies in Spokane to enhance gang prevention, intervention, and suppression efforts in alignment with the Comprehensive Gang Model through the following activities: form an antigang steering committee; thoroughly assess the current gang situation; adopt goals, policies, and procedures in response to the most pressing problems; and develop and implement a comprehensive plan. This project includes implementing the G.R.E.A.T. gang prevention curriculum and other prevention and intervention services for youth ages 12 to 19 in four of Spokane's highest risk schools to reduce youth involvement with gangs.

CA/NCF