Gang Reduction and Intervention Taskforce (GRIT)

The Youth Gang Suppression Implementation Grants Program is designed to reduce violent crime, gangs, and youth victimization, while enhancing public safety in communities by utilizing gang suppression efforts for at risk and gang involved youth.

The City of Yakima, in coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington is supporting Project Safe Neighborhoods through this award. In an effort to reduce gang violence and youth involvement in gangs, they are using the Comprehensive Gang Model and will continue the efforts of their Gang Reduction Intervention Taskforce Steering Committee and Village (provider collaboration group), as well as continue the Yakima Youth Leadership Program (YYLP), which aims to reduce the number of sixth grade Yakima school district youth who have entered gangs or are at serious risk of doing so.

The goals under the City of Yakima's Gang Suppression Grant are to (1) identify and address service gaps and barriers, and create a blueprint for a comprehensive network of services for youth at risk of gang involvement; (2) improve identification, screening, access, delivery, and quality of services available to youth exposed to gang-related violence to prevent them from joining a gang or becoming victimized by a gang; and (3) reduce and sustain reductions in community youth violence, particularly gun and gang violence and victimization. The City of Yakima has 12 program objectives, most of which relate to YYLP. It will link sixth graders to school-based education advocates, who will teach them a curriculum of six leadership/coping skills, provide incentives to attend school regularly and on time, and link the youth and families to needed resources. The City of Yakima expects to work with 50 youth per year, with 30 participating in the program actively at any one time, with new youth stepping into spots as their peers get back on the right track and become leaders in the program.

CA/NCF