General Community Design: Technical Assistance Manual

• NCJ Number: 142968
• Author(s): I A Spergel
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 80 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-JD-CX-K001
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Training (Handbook/Manual)

Annotation

This manual identifies the key steps to be taken by the planner in the design of a community approach to dealing with the youth gang problem.

Abstract

It emphasizes the importance of problem and resource analysis and the development of appropriate structures, including policy and program mechanisms. The discussion focuses on the nature of relevant programming and targeting by certain youth area agencies for the purposes of suppression and intervention. How to coordinate agency, program, and local community leaders and residents is described. Issues of funding and program evaluation are also discussed. This manual is distinguished from the "Community Mobilization" and "Grass-Roots Organization" manuals by its emphasis on technical planning and analysis required by the policymaker or administrator who must take a broad city or area-wide interagency view of the problem and develop a coordinated approach to it. The three manuals are complementary. The "General Community Design Model" should also be used as a reference, since it provides rationales for many of the steps and procedures recommended in this manual. The action areas covered in the manual are problem, policy, and measure assessment; the development of youth gang policy and program structure; program goals, strategies, and objectives; relevant cross-agency, cross- community programming; coordination and community participation; staff selection and training; funding; and research and evaluation. Appended list of program reports, glossary and discussion of terms, tables, and a research paradigm