Based on findings from a scan of youth gun, group, and gang violence interventions, this report informs local governments, law enforcement agencies, and communities about new strategies and refinement of existing ones for reducing youth gang/group violence.
With support from the U.S. Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Urban Institute research team focused on strategies and approaches intended to reduce gun-related violence committed by youth between the ages of 10 and 25 who may also be associated with gangs/groups. The project team reviewed the literature on strategies for violence-reduction strategies. Based on input from a group of subject-matter experts advising the project, 14 innovative violence-reduction interventions were examined, including focused deterrence interventions, public health interventions, and the Spergel Model of Gang Intervention and Suppression/OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model interventions. The project team worked with the leadership of each intervention to collect program materials; observe intervention activities; and interview intervention leadership and staff, community partners, law enforcement and justice system personnel, and program participants. This report 1) summarizes gaps in knowledge about implementing violence-reduction strategies; 2) describes the methodology, data collection, and thematic analysis for scanning practice and modification due to the COVID-19 pandemic; 3) presents findings from the data collected through the scan and pertaining to the implementation of violence-reduction strategies; and 4) presents a conclusion that summarizes the scan of practices and key findings. 5 tables and appended intervention profiles