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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for gangs (canada)
8 results foundAuthor: Prairie Research Associates Title: Evaluation of the Youth at Risk Development Program: Final Evaluation Report. Volume 1 Summary: In response to growing concerns about gang violence, the Youth At Risk Development (YARD) program offered prevention services to high-risk youth and youth involved in gang-related activities in Calgary, Alberta. Between 2002 and the time of the application for National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) funding, Calgary had experienced an increase in gang-related criminal activity with most notably, 14 gang-related homicides, 31 drive-by shootings, 3 stabbings and 3 cases of forcible confinement. The Calgary Police Service was also monitoring 300 gang members who were distributed among 8-10 criminal groups. Gang membership in Calgary was dominated by males in their early 20s with auxiliary female involvement. Intelligence gathered on gangs indicates gang members often carry weapons, and are involved in the trafficking of real, altered and replica hand guns. They were also almost exclusively involved in drug trafficking, and were believed to be instrumental players in the drug distribution network in Calgary. Street gangs in Calgary were generally not ethnically or geographically based, but represented a wide range of nationalities/races. All gang-related activity had the potential to impact public safety. The 2005 Calgary Police Service Citizen’s Survey of almost 2,000 Calgary residents reported that illegal gang activity was ranked the number one “most important policing problem” with over 43% of respondents reporting this as the most pressing issue for police. Gangs were also identified as the 3rd biggest safety concern for parents and children in schools. In 2005, the Calgary Police Service conducted a series of focus groups in local elementary, junior and senior high schools. The most frequently identified “safety issue in school” was gang activity, followed by drugs and bullying. Details: Winnipeg: Prairie Research Associates, 2011. 92p. Source: Summary Report Available at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125802 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Canada) |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada, Evaluation Directorate Title: Final Report 2010-2011 Evaluation of the Youth Gang Prevention Fund Program Summary: Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy aims to increase individual and community safety by equipping Canadians with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to advance crime prevention efforts in their communities. This is done in part through Public Safety Canada’s (PS) National Crime Prevention Center (NCPC), which oversees the planning, development, and implementation of policies and practices related to crime prevention and victimization. In delivering the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) Program, the NCPC focuses on social factors and conditions that contribute to gang membership, while recognizing a need to reduce immediate opportunities or situations in which crime and victimization can occur. This approach is based on research which shows that preventive as well as reactive (or suppressive) measures—the apprehension, sentencing, incarceration and rehabilitation of offenders—are necessary to prevent crime. The YGPF invests in communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat and supports initiatives that clearly target youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs. Total funding for the YGPF Program is $33,595,100 over five years beginning in 2006-2007. In choosing the projects under the YGPF Program, the NCPC worked within the context of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Community Safety and Crime Prevention to identify municipalities and community-based groups that were tackling youth gang issues. The NCPC then worked with these municipalities and communities to develop and implement anti-gang prevention projects using directed funding in the form of contribution agreements. Consistent with the experimental nature of NCPC’s work, these projects were based on promising or proven gang prevention practices. Each project hired an independent evaluator to assess youth participants’ propensity towards gang involvement, based upon set risk factors upon intake to the project, as well as at each six month interval. These results are reported annually to the NCPC which then collects, analyzes, and disseminates results from funded projects and other sources of knowledge and information on youth gang issues. This enables the federal government to play a role in helping develop local solutions to youth gang issues. YGPF Program inception documents note that the federal government has a leadership role to play in helping to build safer and healthier communities. The YGPF Program provides an opportunity for the federal government to show leadership by bringing together partners who have a role in preventing and reducing youth crime. The outcomes of the YGPF Program as stated in inception documents, the YGPF Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) and the program logic model can be summarized as follows: • to increase understanding and knowledge of how to effectively address the issues related to youth gangs; and • to support communities and youth at risk through the implementation of local, targeted and tailored anti-gang initiatives (through directed contribution funding). This document presents the evaluation of PS’s YGPF Program. This evaluation was conducted between May and July 2010 in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Policy on Evaluation, which came into effect April 2009, and the 2007 Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) prescribed by the program. The objective of this evaluation is to provide an evidence based, neutral assessment of the relevance and performance of the program that is in its fifth year of operation. The scope of the research for this evaluation includes activities of the YGPF Program from its inception in October 2006 to March 31, 2010. It should be noted that the scope of the evaluation includes the YGPF Program, rather than just the activities of the funded projects. The YGPF Program refers to the results of the funded projects under the YGPF (the fund); the administration of related contribution funding; and the knowledge transfer activities of NCPC related to the youth gang issue. The evaluation methodologies included document/literature review and Internet research; a review of the Grants and Contributions Information Management System; interviews with program management, funded recipients, project evaluators and subject matter experts; a provincial/territorial focus group; a review of NCPC’s Annual Project Evaluation Reports; a comparative analysis; and a cost-effectiveness analysis. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2011. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125959 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangs (Canada)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Goodwill, Alanaise O. Title: In and Out of Aboriginal Gang Life: Perspectives of Aboriginal Ex-Gang Members Summary: This research project generated a categorical scheme to describe the facilitation of gang entry and exit for Aboriginal ex-gang members using the Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954; Woolsey, 1986) as a method of qualitative data analysis. Former gang members responded to the questions: (a) What facilitated gang entry for you? (b) What facilitated gang exit for you? Participants provided 103 and 136 critical incidents which were categorized into two separate category schemes each containing 13 different categories. The 13 categories for gang entry were; engaging in physical violence, proving one’s worth, hanging around delinquent activity, family involved in gangs and following a family pattern; going to prison, gang becoming family and support system, looking up to gang members and admiring gang lifestyle, becoming dependant on gang, experiencing unsafe or unsupportive parenting practices, gaining respect by rank increase, reacting to authority, caught in a cycle of fear, and partying. The 13 categories for gang exit were; working in the legal workforce, accepting support from family or girlfriend, helping others stay out of or move away from gang life, not wanting to go back to jail, accepting responsibility for family, accepting guidance and protection, participating in ceremony, avoiding alcohol, publically expressing that you are out of the gang, wanting legitimate relationships outside gang life, experiencing a native brotherhood, stopping self from reacting like a gangster, and acknowledging the drawbacks of gang violence. Diverse methods of checking trustworthiness and credibility were applied to these category schemes, and it was found that both category schemes can be used confidently. Details: Vancouver: University of British Columbia, 2009. 191p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/11076/ubc_2009_fall_goodwill_alanaise.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/11076/ubc_2009_fall_goodwill_alanaise.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 125955 Keywords: AboriginalsGangs (Canada)Indigenous PeoplesYouth Gangs |
Author: Bhatt, Gira Title: Strength-based Approaches to Youth Gang Prevention in B.C.: Community Consultation Paper Summary: This paper discusses strength-based strategies for reducing youth involvement in gang violence. The current discussion is meant to provoke thought and provide some theoretical background. This discussion includes a review of research on strengths that matter, some cautions such as concerns about cultural relevance, and a differentiation of types of strength-based interventions. It also explores some strength-based practices with examples of specific strategies implemented by the Community Assessment and Action Networks. The paper includes feedback from three workshops conducted with community stakeholders on March 24th 2010 consultation hosted by the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The discussion concludes with recommendations to connect evidence-based research with practice. This discussion paper provides background that may help people considering strength-based interventions. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2010. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-youth-strength-based.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-youth-strength-based.pdf Shelf Number: 126000 Keywords: Gang PreventionGangs (Canada)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Sersli, Stephanie Title: Gang Prevention for New Immigrant and Refugee Youth in B.C.: Community Consultation Paper Summary: This paper explores why and how immigrant and refugee youth between the ages of 13-23 years old and in Canada less than 5 years may or may not become involved with youth gangs. Community stakeholders involved with the provincial youth gang prevention strategy identified a knowledge gap regarding newcomer youths’ participation in gang activities and their unique risk factors and pathways to involvement. The purpose of this research was threefold: 1) to identify why and how newcomer immigrant and refugee youth become involved in gangs in BC (i.e., specific risk factors and pathways to gang involvement in BC); 2) to review the individual, family, school and community strengths and assets that support newcomer youth to resist gang involvement and build resiliency, and; 3) to identify BC-based effective, culturally responsive strategies to prevent or intervene in newcomer youth gang involvement and support their positive development. Drawing both from contemporary Canadian studies, and consultations with newcomer immigrant and refugee youth and youth workers in Metro Vancouver, this paper outlines the challenges newcomer youth face in their settlement process and advocates for early sustained support to assist youth and their families to adjust to life in Canada. Youth who become marginalized or isolated are at enhanced risk of forming negative peer associations and becoming involved in risky behaviour; youth at the beginning of their settlement trajectory are least likely to become gang-involved, but this risk increases with number of years in Canada. The paper also identifies newcomer youths’ strengths and assets, and discusses BC-based culturally responsive approaches that endeavor to enhance strengths while decreasing risk, thus laying essential building blocks for gang prevention. These approaches include: early ongoing support for youth and families; helping families support youth; individualizing approaches; building relationships, reducing isolation and normalizing life experience; building individual and social competencies; empowering and building a positive identity; incorporating anti-oppression elements in programming, and; recognizing the unique challenges and strengths of newcomer youth. The paper concludes with proposed further research directions. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2010. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-immigrant-refugee.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-immigrant-refugee.pdf Shelf Number: 126001 Keywords: Gang PreventionGangs (Canada)Immigrant YouthRefugee YouthYouth Gangs |
Author: Totten, Mark Title: Evaluation Report for the North Central Community Association Regina Anti-Gang Services Circle Keeper Project Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the evaluation activities for the Circle Keeper Program of the Regina Anti-Gang Services Project for the period of December 2010 – March 2011. The RAGS Project is a unique initiative for gang-involved Aboriginal youth and young adults aged 16 – 30 years living in the North Central neighbourhood of Regina. It is the only Canadian project of its kind. The RAGS program engages clients in intensive daily services aimed at reducing their involvement in gang life and facilitating their exit from gangs. Circle Keeper is one of the four core programs. The other programs are Life Skills Programming for Young Men; Intensive Gang Exit Counselling; and Outreach to schools and institutions. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized in the evaluation. Fourteen young women completed a baseline interview and eight completed a follow-up survey. Two of the young women who completed baseline surveys died prior to completion of the follow-up surveys. A pre and post design was used for the measurement of change over time. The post measure was administered three months following the baseline measure. It is clear that the Circle Keeper intervention has had a positive effect on the treatment group. The mean and median ages of the fourteen participants were 21.4 years and 20 years respectively. Of the eight young women who completed follow-up surveys, all continued to have close friends who were gang members. Seven young women reported that they frequently partied with gang members at baseline, and these same seven reported having continued partying with gang members throughout the three month program. The one participant who did not party with gang members at baseline did not party with them during the program. Seven participants had a gang-involved boyfriend at baseline whereas only four had gang-involved boyfriends at the time of the follow-up survey. The remaining young woman was in a relationship with a severely abusive partner at baseline and she terminated this relationship during the program. Two exited their gangs and another remained an active gang member. Three participants who were using intravenous drugs daily at baseline got off these drugs in February 2011 and were in a methadone program. An additional woman stopped hard drugs during the program and was only using marijuana at the three-month follow-up. Three women continued their intravenous drug usage throughout the group. Two participants stopped dealing drugs whereas three continued to deal drugs at follow-up. Six decreased their involvement in non-violent crime and four women decreased their involvement in violent crime. Four were active in the sex trade at both time periods, two had reduced their involvement, and one young woman had gotten out of prostitution completely at follow-up. Seven participants engaged in frequent binge drinking at both baseline and follow-up. Seven had frequent contact with police at baseline, whereas only one woman had contact with the police during the group program. Each participant attended on average 38% of all group sessions, or 21 days of programming. On average, the total cost per case was $10,053.86, or $2,513.46/month. This includes all administration costs, such as rent, staffing, evaluation and participant stipends. Given the relatively low attendance rate, this was an expensive program to deliver. Costs are considerably higher compared to the average male RAGS client. Key conclusions of the evaluation include reductions in the overall risk levels and individual risk levels of participants over time. The Circle Keeper program should be replicated in Canada. Details: Gatineau, QC: Totten and Associates, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2012 at: http://www.nccaregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Circle-Keeper-Report-Totten-May-10-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.nccaregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Circle-Keeper-Report-Totten-May-10-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126166 Keywords: Aboriginal YouthDelinquency Prevention ProgramsGangs (Canada)Youth Gangs |
Author: Smith-Moncrieffe, Donna Title: Youth Gang Prevention Fund Projects: What Did We Learn about What Works in Preventing Gang Involvement? Summary: Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) has a mandate to help prevent crime in local communities by generating and disseminating evidence-based knowledge of 'what works' in crime prevention. This practical knowledge of effective practices will assist policy makers, program developers and practitioners make the best use of limited resources. Since 2007, NCPC has undertaken a deliberate effort to develop the Canadian knowledge base of effective crime prevention programming focused on addressing known criminogenic factors among specific groups of persons including: children 6-11 who demonstrate early risk factors such as premature police contact, systematic difficulties adapting to school or high levels of impulsiveness and aggression; youth 12-17 who demonstrate multiple risk factors such as substance abuse, school drop-out or contact with the youth criminal justice system; young adults who have a known history of offending and incarceration; Aboriginal peoples because of their significant over-representation as offenders and victims; and gang-involved youth. In order to conduct this work, NCPC provides financial and technical support for the implementation and evaluation of community-based projects that address one or more of these priority areas. This report provides a high level synthesis of key findings from projects addressing youth gangs between 2007 and 2012. During this period, NCPC provided funding to community-based organizations for 17 youth gang intervention projects in communities across Canada through its Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). These projects aimed to reduce the number of gang-involved youth in communities with a known or emerging gang problem. To determine what works in gang crime prevention, 14 impact evaluation studies of gang projects were conducted across Canada. Evaluation research of crime prevention programs is one of the key activities conducted to generate this knowledge. Given that resources are limited and communities require the most effective programs to reduce offending among at risk children and youth, it is important to rigorously establish what works in crime prevention. This paper provides a context for NCPC's work on youth gangs, briefly describes the funded projects and the approach to conducting the evaluation studies, presents the key findings, and provides some conclusions for moving forward. Details: Ottawa: National Crime prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132074 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangs (Canada)InterventionJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Comack, Elizabeth Title: Summary: There is growing concern about the level of violence in Winnipeg's North End. The media regularly feature headline reports about gun violence, and street gang activity has become a focus of attention in the effort to "get tough on crime." Against this backdrop, the authors met with six members of a North End street gang, who wanted to convey their experiences of living in the North End, their thoughts on the recent events that have occurred there, and their insights into what it will take to make meaningful change. Too often the voices of such men are not heard. Yet they have an intimate knowledge of, and are an integral part of, these pressing problems. If meaningful change is to occur their voices need to be made part of the public discussion. These men had important things to say about 'getting tough on crime.' They agree that if they commit crimes, they have to do the time. But they are adamant that this strategy will not solve the problem of violence in the North End and broader inner city. We discussed several other options. Policing in the North End has recently been intensified to the point where "its like the military in the North End now" and anyone who "fits the description" is being targeted. This strategy, they explained, is likely to aggravate the problem, not solve it. Similarly, they offered reasons why other quick-fix solutions - a gun amnesty, a truce or ceasefire agreed to by street gangs, the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy applied to street gangs - will not work. The central viewpoint, expressed repeatedly over our two days of meetings, is that street gangs and gun violence are a product of the poverty and systemic racism of the North End, and all their consequences - addictions, violence, family disintegration, neglect, abuse. These men grew up in the midst of these conditions, and were exposed to the associated gang life from a very early age. As one told us, "When you're young, and see that, it's all normal." This is the soil in which street gangs and gun violence have grown. What emerged most strongly during our meeting was that these men do not want youngsters in the North End - "the next me" - to go through what they have gone through. Meaningful change will therefore require long term solutions aimed at addressing the poverty and systemic racism that are the root causes of street gangs and violence. Building pride and self-esteem through the provision of the right kinds of jobs and investing in more community recreation and drop-in centres for kids and families in the North End would be important steps in that direction. We know that this strategy will work because there are successful, small-scale examples such as OPK and BUILD - now operating in Winnipeg's North End. If we want to change the violence in the 'hood, we would do well to heed the wise advice of these hard-headed men who know the 'hood all too well. We have to change the 'hood. Details: Winnipeg, MB: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2009. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2015 at: https://mbresearchalliance.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/3-opkfinal.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: https://mbresearchalliance.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/3-opkfinal.pdf Shelf Number: 135174 Keywords: Gang-Related ViolenceGangs (Canada)Gun ViolenceSocio-Economic Conditions and Crime |