The Little Village Gang Violence Reduction Project in Chicago

educational background or ability to fill out forms, weekly debriefing sessionswith research assistants or office staff members are required. It is criticallyimportant to obtain a record of what youth workers are doing with what gangyouth in relation to what gang situations and with what effect. Such informationshould be available for monitoring worker efforts, gang-member and programstrategyassessment, and ultimately for Project effectiveness and evaluationpurposes. Such documentation might also be important for communityinteragency-relationship purposes.10. A variety of aids and constraints are necessary to assist youth workers with theirjob and to hold them accountable for achieving Project objectives:• Beepers were provided to all workers, and cell phones to senior workers.• The youth worker had to use his own vehicle to make contacts and provideservices to program youth.• Legitimate program-related expenses were to be documented andreimbursed, e.g., youth worker transportation costs (based on mileage),damage to their vehicles with receipts for repairs, work-related phonecalls. Reimbursement to youth workers for food and entertainment withprogram youth was generally to be avoided, except when a supervisor wasinvolved and/or at crisis times.• Photo I.D.s were provided indicating the youth worker’s affiliation withthe Project and the University of Chicago. This was essential especially toprevent and resolve problems that might arise if youth workers “hanging5.8