OJJDP FY 07 Gang Prevention Coordination Assistance Program

The City of Austin, Austin Police Department (APD) will serve as the fiscal agent for the 'Austin/Travis County Gang Prevention and Intervention Program.' The program addresses the myriad of gang-related issues within eleven target area schools by developing gang-related prevention and awareness information and training for their Joint Juvenile Gang Unit (JJGU). The JJGU maintains a visible presence in the community, provides training on juvenile gangs and their activities, and proactively identifies and interacts with at-risk students and their families to steer them away from gang affiliations in an effort to slow juvenile gang growth. The program will: 1) provide a safe and secure learning environment for Austin Independent School District (AISD) students in the target area; 2) improve the relationship between law enforcement and AISD students; 3) train and mentor juveniles (under 17) to increase their awareness of gang-related issues; and 4) explore positive alternatives to gang membership. The program will measure the increase prevention/intervention program activities and resources that will work to reduce risk factors, or increase protective factors, to juvenile gang involvement in the target area by 40%, increase after-school opportunities in the target area by 20%, reduce delinquency in target area by 25% in the first 12 months and by 30% in the second grant year, reduce gang activity in target area by 25% in the first 12 months and by 30% in the second grant year and the reduction in violent gang-related incidents in the target area by 30%. CA/NCF