Florida Gang Reduction Strategy 2008 - 2012

The Strategy
Executive Group and 2007 Gang
Reduction Summit
In the summer of 2007 the heads of all state agencies
involved with youth and law enforcement met
in the Office of the Attorney General to develop a
statewide strategy to address the growing problems
of gangs and gang violence in Florida. They were
joined in this effort by the heads of key Florida law
enforcement associations. To build upon a working
draft prepared by this executive group in December
2007 the Office of the Attorney General held a Gang
Reduction Strategy Summit in Tallahassee. The
two-day summit brought leaders from various state
agencies, local law enforcement, community leaders,
and prevention/intervention organizations and
experts together. The framework of this strategy
was discussed and approved at the summit.
Mission
The mission of the Florida Gang Reduction Strategy
is to increase the safety of the citizens of Florida
by empowering Florida’s youth to reject criminal
gangs as a viable option and by substantially
reducing gang-related crime and violence in Florida.
State agencies cannot singlehandedly combat the
problem of gangs. There must be a series of cascading
approaches, each adding to the impact of the
others, between many state agencies, local governments,
and community advocacy groups working
in concert to oppose criminal gangs.
Goals
The goals to accomplish this mission are:
1. Stop the growth of criminal gangs in
Florida;
2. Reduce the number of gangs and gang
members;
3. Render gangs ineffectual.
Criminal gangs have been growing in Florida for the
better part of the past 25 years. The first priority
of the strategy is to stop this growth of gangs and
gang members. That must be immediately followed
by the reduction in the number of gangs and gang
members. While it may never be possible to completely
eliminate all criminal gangs and gang members
in Florida, the strategy contemplates rendering
what gangs remain ineffectual. Accomplishing these
goals will greatly reduce crime and violence in our
communities, save the lives of many at-risk youth,
give many more youth in our state the opportunity
for productive lives, save state and local government
a lot of expense and costs associated with gangs and
their criminal behavior, and make Florida a safer
place to live and work.
Three Pillars
The strategy is based on three pillars:
• Prevention/Intervention
• Law Enforcement
• Rehabilitation/Re-entry
In recent decades law enforcement has been the
principal entity attempting to control or resolve
the problem of criminal gangs. Law enforcement
will be much more efficient in its mission of
public safety when it is partnered with prevention
and re-entry efforts within the communities and
throughout the state. The gang problem is highly
complex. A well informed and coordinated effort
to fight criminal gangs is necessary. This strategy
will work to identify and target the problem
with gangs and the youth they affect and enable
communities to develop appropriate coalitions and
action plans to successfully address the problem
of criminal gangs.
Florida Gang Reduction Strategy 9