The Little Village Gang Violence Reduction Project in Chicago

involved in the Project and believed they would have no problem getting along with them. X. A.took his street work position seriously. He was quickly able to make contacts with key LatinKings, but J. R. had some difficulty making contacts with the Two Six. The job was a lark forhim.R. C., X. A., and J. R. took the major responsibility for making initial contacts with gangyouth, mainly through direct “walk-ups” to clusters of gang youth on the various streets. TheProject Coordinator’s own tours of the neighborhood and contacts with gang youth or gangleadership came a little later, usually in the company of R. C.The Coordinator was able to recruit the first full-time worker for the Two Six in October,and a full-time worker for the Latin Kings in November 1992. Recruitment of the Two Sixworker, A. T., was fortuitous. R. C. and the Coordinator were visiting the director of LatinoYouth, the major youth agency in the area, to acquaint him with the purpose and nature of theGVRP and solicit his support. In the course of a casual conversation with the job-placementcounselor, she mentioned her nephew, just honorably discharged after serving in the Army in theGulf War, was looking for a job. The Coordinator arranged to meet him.A. T. was a tall, voluble, forthcoming young man who was looking for a job as abricklayer, which he was having trouble finding. He also stated that he had held a high position,Lieutenant Governor in the Two Six, before moving out of the area and joining the Army. Hesaid he still knew many of the senior members of the Two Six and was very interested in theProject and in joining the team. He seemed particularly qualified because he had been a sergeantin the military police during the Gulf War and was interested later in getting a job in a securityfirm.3.4