Question Number: 219

Gangs are an ever present destructive force in the community. To effectively deal with gangs the police and citizens must work together to divert youth from joining gangs and keep gang members who are returning to the community from incarceration from resuming their association with gangs. Using peer reviewed articles and other professional publications find examples find examples find examples of community policing programs that have dealt with this problem and evaluate their effectiveness. In approximately 150 words, summarize what you have learned and cite the sources you have used. Then, in approximately 300 words, address the following issues; 1) Was gang activity the reason the community policing effort got started or was gang activity recognized as a problem along the way? 2) What were some of the most effective counter actions taken by the community policing effort against gang activity? 3) What was done specifically to deter young people from joining gangs?