Overview
In October 2009, the National Youth Gang Center, which had been funded by the OJJDP since 1995, merged with the National Gang Center, which had been funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance since 2003. This new partnership recognizes that street gang activities transcend ages of the members and that a balanced, comprehensive approach is needed to reduce gang involvement and levels of gang crime. Consolidation of the centers has leveraged resources and resulted in a single, more efficient entity, responsive to the needs of researchers, practitioners, and the public.
Training and Technical Assistance
The National Gang Center provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, and community organizations across the nation to improve their capacity to address criminal and youth gang issues. Information and resources to assist communities in responding to gangs are available on the Center's website.
Contacts
National Gang Center
Institute for Intergovernmental Research
P.O. Box 12729
Tallahassee, FL 32317
850–385–0600
850–386–5356 (fax)
[email protected]
https://nationalgangcenter.ojp.gov
Resources
OJJDP Publications
Best Practices To Address Community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model
OJJDP-Sponsored, June 2008. guides communities responding to a gang problem in implementing OJJDP’s Comprehensive Gang Model. It describes best practices learned from practitioners experienced in planning and implementing the model and notes findings from evaluations of programs demonstrating the model. NCJ 222799. 57 pages.
PDF
Gangs in Schools
OJJDP-Sponsored, March 2019. This bulletin provides information on creating a school safety plan to prevent and disrupt gangs in schools. An effective response begins with the coordination of prevention, intervention, and suppression efforts guided by appropriate information sharing protocols. This establishes shared responsibility for tackling gang-related problems in schools. NCJ 252842. 16 pages.
PDF
Getting Out of Gangs, Staying Out of Gangs: Gang Intervention and Desistance Strategies
OJJDP-Sponsored, January 2013. This bulletin highlights push and pull factors related to gang desistance and strategies that gang interventionists can implement to assist gang members who are seeking to leave a gang. NCJ 242012. 10 pages.
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Highlights of the 2012 National Youth Gang Survey
OJJDP-Sponsored, September 2014. This fact sheet provides an overview of findings from the 2012 National Youth Gang Survey. NCJ 248025. 4 pages.
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A Law Enforcement Official's Guide to the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model
OJJDP-Sponsored, March 2017. This guide provides law enforcement leaders with an overview of the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model. NCJ 250663. 4 pages.
PDF
National Gang Center Newsletter, Fall 2016
OJJDP-Sponsored, December 2016. This issue features articles on gang-involved girls, female delinquency and effective programs, and breaking the cycle of gang violence. NCJ 250457. 12 pages.
PDF
National Gang Center Outreach Worker Safety Tips
OJJDP-Sponsored, September 2016. This resource from the OJJDP-supported National Gang Center was developed for those who work with gang members in the community. NCJ 250264. 1 page.
PDF
Parents' Guide to Gangs (Guia sobre las pandillas para los padres)
OJJDP-Sponsored, January 2016. This guide is designed to provide parents with answers to common questions about gangs to enable them to recognize and prevent gang involvement. NCJ 249746. 4 pages.
PDF (English) | PDF (Spanish) | HTML (English) | HTML (Spanish)
Additional Resources
Events and Trainings
- OJJDP’s National Gang Center Webinar: Getting to the Heart of Youth Transformation—Strategies to Reduce Gang Violence in Juvenile Justice Settings
- Coordinating a Comprehensive Response | Community Violence Intervention—Addressing Gangs
- Community Violence Intervention—Addressing Gangs: Essential Partnerships for Leading a Community-Based Response Webinar