Florida Gang Reduction Strategy 2008 - 2012

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Resources
A Statewide Grand Jury was convened in August
2007 to investigate criminal gang activity. Several
indictments have been issued and more are
expected. The jurors also studied various criminal
issues and made recommendations on needed
laws to deter gang activities and punish those
involved in these pursuits. A summary of the
1st Interim Report of the Statewide Grand Jury
on Criminal Gangs and Gang Related Violence is
located in Appendix B of the strategy.
Department of Education
The overarching goal for the Florida Department
of Education is the success of all Florida students.
The Department sets strategic imperatives to develop
and implement standards and measures that
focus on high student achievement. School success
is a strong protective factor contributing to
the prevention of youth engagement in delinquent
and other risk behaviors. A student’s school
success is demonstrated through both academic
achievement and level of attachment to school.
Low academic performance can contribute to a
student’s risk for gang affiliation. 1 In addition, a
school’s ability to engage a student can significantly
influence a student’s behavior, including risk for
gang involvement. 2 Students who feel connected
to school are less likely to engage in violent or
deviant behavior. 3
There is a direct relationship between safe youth,
safe schools, and academic success. 4 The Centers
for Disease Control reported, “Violence at school
can inhibit learning, affect school performance,
and even reduce school attendance.” 5 The presence
of gangs in schools can disrupt the learning
process for students, and create a climate of
threat, intimidation, and violence. The Department
of Education will work with local education
agencies to develop and/or enhance existing
action plans targeted specifically toward reducing
youth gang involvement. The Department
will utilize the already existing infrastructure of
district contacts for Safety and Security, Safe &
Drug Free Schools, and Dropout Prevention to
disseminate information regarding best practices
for gang awareness training, gang suppression
Florida Gang Reduction Strategy
tactics within schools, gang prevention programs,
and targeted gang intervention strategies. District
and school level action plans should include a four
pronged approach:
Universal Prevention: Strengthen prevention
services and positive school climate to improve
academic and social outcomes for all students.
Strategies/activities include:
• Implement evidence-based substance
abuse and violence prevention programs
that include anti-gang self-concepts, and
teach resiliency skills that empower youth
to make good choices and reject gang
involvement.
• Implement a school-wide bullying prevention
program.
• Provide students with positive role models
who offer nurturing, supportive, and
caring relationships.
• Employ consistent enforcement of policies
and procedures for acceptable student behavior;
discipline with positive supports.
• Teach academic skills, social skill development,
and critical thinking skills.
• Engage parents/guardians by involving them
in actively supervising youth behavior.
• Access business/community resources
and create partnerships with community
organizations that support positive youth
development opportunities such as afterschool
programs.
Campus Gang Suppression/School Level Targeted
Intervention: Partner with law enforcement
to create a school safety team to:
•
•
Assess threat of gangs on campus by
identifying gangs and gang members on
campus and surrounding neighborhoods,
by identifying leaders and leadership
structure, and by assessing how gangs are
affecting campus.
Establish a neutral school by enforcing
policies and procedures that do not tolerate
gang identifiers, by removing graffiti,