West Harlem Gang and Gun Violence Intervention Program

Grantees under this initiative are funded to develop program activities based on the core strategies of the Comprehensive Gang Model. Category 1, Intervention, supports intervention strategies that can dissuade youth from joining gangs and help them discontinue their involvement in gangs. Proposed strategies are built upon the principles of the following core strategies in the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model: Community Mobilization, Opportunities Provision, and Social Intervention.

The Osborne Association and the Tayshana Chicken Murphy Foundation propose to deliver gang violence intervention services to children (ages 12–17) living in New York City's 35 West Harlem neighborhoods. The services will target young people who are in a gang or at risk of joining a gang. The program will include social interventions (credible messenger mentoring, gun violence education and prevention workshops), community mobilization (a local advisory board, parent support, creation of neutral zones and strategies for safe passage), and coordination with the Southern District of New York’s Project Safe Neighborhoods team. In addition, the program will provide youth with in-house employment, education, civic engagement, positive youth development, and trauma treatment services to address violence or help them discontinue their involvement in gangs and violence. This program will reach as many as 500 young people through broad gun/gang violence prevention education efforts and 25–30 through more intensive, one-on-one mentoring.
CA/NCF