September 17, 2013

The National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published “Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership.” Written by leading public health and criminal justice researchers, “Changing Course” provides principles to help practitioners and policymakers make decisions based on the best available evidence to prevent kids from joining a gang. The report examines why youth are attracted to gangs, explores key child development issues and risks for joining a gang, and offers prevention strategies that a variety of stakeholders — such as schools, law enforcement, public health, and communities — can use to address their specific needs.

Resources:

Download the executive summary and full report.

Watch an interview with Tom Simon, Deputy Associate Director for Science at CDC, on preventing youth from joining gangs.

Access related resources from the National Gang Center.