Gang Deconstruction

law enforcement agencies reported gang activity in 2012. It is estimated that there were
30,700 gangs and 850,000 gang members throughout 3,100 jurisdictions with gang
problems in the United States in 2012. The number of reported gang-related homicides
increased 20 percent from 2011 to 2012. (Highlights of the 2012 National Youth
Gang Survey, December 2014)
A national assessment of gang problems and programs provided the foundation
for OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model, a project developed in the mid-1980s. Its
key components reflect the best features of existing and evaluated programs across the
country. The model outlines five strategies: community mobilization, social intervention,
opportunities for educational and vocational advancements, suppression, and
organizational change and development. As most gang members join between the ages
of 12 and 15, prevention is a critical strategy within a comprehensive response to gangs
that includes intervention, suppression and reentry.
OJJDP collaborates with Bureau of Justice Assistance to ensure that OJP has an
array of information and resources available on gangs. OJJDP's strategy is to reduce
gang activity in targeted neighborhoods by incorporating a broad spectrum of researchbased
interventions to address the range of personal, family, and community factors
that contribute to juvenile delinquency and gang activity. This approach attempts to
integrate Federal, state, and local resources to incorporate state-of-the-art practices in
prevention, intervention, and suppression.
Programs
At the direction of President Obama, the Departments of Justice and Education
launched the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (Forum) in order to
begin a national conversation concerning youth and gang violence, raising awareness
and elevating the issue to one of national significance. In addition, the Forum was
created to build the capacity of localities across the country to more effectively address
the youth violence through multi-disciplinary partnerships, balanced approaches, datadriven
strategies, comprehensive planning and the sharing of common challenges and
promising strategies. The Forum was created as a new model for Federal and local
collaboration, encouraging Forum members to change the way they "do business"
through increased communication and coordinated action.
The Forum convenes a diverse array of stakeholders at the Federal, state and local
levels. Along with Justice and Education, participating Federal agencies include the
Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor
and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Communities participating
in the Forum include Boston, Camden, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis, New
Orleans, Philadelphia, Salinas, San Jose, Long Beach, Cleveland, Louisville, Seattle,
and Baltimore. Other participants include local faith and community-based groups,
youth and family representatives, as well as businesses and philanthropies. See
the Preventing Youth Violence section of Youth.gov for additional information about
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