The Little Village Gang Violence Reduction Project in Chicago

get along well with his girlfriend (p = 0.009), and this relationship is associated with a reductionin arrests. In this Time I period, he also does not expect to get married or settle down, and thisfact is related to an increase in arrests (p = 0.043). On the other hand, at Time III, the sameyouth does plan to get married, and this change is associated with a reduction in arrests (p =0.006).The concepts which most strongly predict a decrease in arrests are maturation, socialcontrol, and access to opportunities. The youth may have achieved high status in the gang and isnow ready to leave and settle down. The youth also has become aware of the destructiveinfluences in the neighborhood, where things are getting worse, and he no longer wants to be apart of gang-related or criminal activities. He has obtained a job at an early point in the program,and this is conducive to a reduction in arrests over time. Close family relationships andidentifications, possibly not satisfactory earlier, spur increased likelihood of arrests, but theyouth is now ready to undertake a new set of relationships (albeit conflictual at times) with asteady girlfriend or wife, which nevertheless lead to a reduction in arrests.Finally, it is possible the youth perceives that the Project may have some effect on hisactivities at the Time I interview. Project activities and the evaluation research were highlystreet-based. Since the youth may not have known at first that he was being targeted by theGVRP, the fact that he perceives the presence of the GVRP in the community may suggest somelevel of readiness for change in his delinquent behavior pattern. The program youth knowing ofthe existence of the Project at Time I is a predictor that he will lower his arrest rate (p = 0.004).Serious Violence Arrests12.10