Evaluation of Gang Interventions: Final Report

• NCJ Number: 172244
• Author(s): J S Sivilli; R K Yin; M E Nugent
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 161 pages
• Grant Number(s): 92-IJ-CX-K022
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This report presents the methodology and findings of an evaluation of six gang interventions, which aimed at preventing gang membership or the involvement of gangs in illegal, criminal, or drug-abusing behavior.

Abstract

Many such interventions have been operating during the past several years; this evaluation identified six that had early evidence of outcomes after an exhaustive, nationwide search. Of the six activities, only four were able to provide sufficient data for analysis. All of the activities had difficulties in maintaining their funding, so their services during the desired period of data collection were often not sustained. In San Francisco's Gang Prevention Curriculum, the pre-differences and post-differences on a variety of self-administered scales were minor and in many cases in a direction away from a comparison group. In San Francisco's Youth Development Workers Program, two cohorts of pre-post data were available, but they showed only minor effects from the program. In Los Angeles' Diversion and Court-ordered Probation Component, desirable traits at the pretest were associated with positive probation recommendations after the intervention. In Boston's Streetworker Program, pre- post ratings of at-risk behavior moved in a negative direction, although rating of other items were slightly positive; court records showed no marked decline in subsequent criminal offenses. Possible explanations for these findings are considered, and suggestions are offered for future gang intervention programs and evaluations. 23 references