U. S. Department of Justice

The growth of youth gang violence and the proliferation of youth gangs into smaller cities and rural areas in recent years have focused public attention on the youth gang problem and made it an increasingly significant social policy issue. The public's concern is understandable, with more than 800,000 gang members active in over 3,000 gangs according to the latest National Youth Gang Survey. The Office of Juvenile Justice andDelinquency Prevention (OJJDP) shares this concern and is addressing it on several fronts, in particular, through OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center. Youth Gang Programs and Strategies draws on more than a half-century of gang program evaluations to summarize what we have learned about: - Prevention programs (including early childhood, school-based, and afterschool initiatives).- Intervention programs (including those that work to create violence-free zones, establish gang summits and truces, and rehabilitate gang members in juvenile detention and correctional facilities).- Suppression programs (including those focused on prosecution, police response, and geomapping and other tracking systems).- Strategies using multiple techniques (such as community policing).- Multiagency initiatives (including local, State, and Federal efforts).- Comprehensive approaches to gang problems (such as the Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression).- Legislation (at the local, State, and Federal levels). This Summary also describes an OJJDP - sponsored nationwide assessment of youth gang prevention, intervention, and suppression programs; debunks prevalent stereotypes surrounding youth gang members; and providesresearch-based recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of youth gang programs and strategies. Youth gangs imperil not only the safety of America's communities but the future of our Nation's youth. I trust that the information provided in these pages will improve our efforts to combat this danger

The growth of youth gang violence and the proliferation of youth gangs into smaller cities and rural areas in recent years have focused public attention on the youth gang problem and made it an increasingly significant social policy issue. The public's concern is understandable, with more than 800,000 gang members active in over 3,000 gangs according to the latest National Youth Gang Survey. The Office of Juvenile Justice andDelinquency Prevention (OJJDP) shares this concern and is addressing it on several fronts, in particular, through OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center. Youth Gang Programs and Strategies draws on more than a half-century of gang program evaluations to summarize what we have learned about: - Prevention programs (including early childhood, school-based, and afterschool initiatives).- Intervention programs (including those that work to create violence-free zones, establish gang summits and truces, and rehabilitate gang members in juvenile detention and correctional facilities).- Suppression programs (including those focused on prosecution, police response, and geomapping and other tracking systems).- Strategies using multiple techniques (such as community policing).- Multiagency initiatives (including local, State, and Federal efforts).- Comprehensive approaches to gang problems (such as the Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression).- Legislation (at the local, State, and Federal levels). This Summary also describes an OJJDP - sponsored nationwide assessment of youth gang prevention, intervention, and suppression programs; debunks prevalent stereotypes surrounding youth gang members; and providesresearch-based recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of youth gang programs and strategies. Youth gangs imperil not only the safety of America's communities but the future of our Nation's youth. I trust that the information provided in these pages will improve our efforts to combat this danger

JAIBG funds may be used to develop programs in any of 12 program purpose areas established by Congress. The first of these areas-"building, expanding, renovating, or operating temporary orpermanent juvenile correction or detentionfacilities, including training of correctionalpersonnel"-addresses construction, operation, and training. Before beginning construction, however, jurisdictions should complete a master plan, determine what type of facility will bestmeet their needs and expectations, and reach a decision to construct. Master planning is a key component because it establishes the specific policies to prevent and reduce crowding and control the length of stay (DeMuro and Dunlap,1998). To provide practitioners practical guidance and advice on best practices under JAIBG Program Purpose Area 1, this paper addresses five main themes: construction decisions, master planning, facility development, operations, and training

For young offenders, law enforcement is often the entry point into the juvenile justice system. When a juvenile is apprehended for the first time for violating the law, it is the police officer who determines the nature of the offender's initial involvement with the justice system. Law enforcement agencies track the volume and characteristics of crimes that are reported to them. Since some crimes are never reported, however, and other crimes remain unsolved, law enforcement data alone are generally insufficient to fully assess the community's delinquencyproblem. Law enforcement agencies, however, also report arrest statistics that can be used to monitor the flow of juveniles into the justice system. These arrest statistics are the most frequently cited source of information on juvenile crime trends. This Bulletin describes the extent and characteristics of juvenile arrests. It provides arrest rates for violent and property crimes, drug and weapon offenses, and violations of alcohol, curfew, and loitering laws. Arrests and arrest trends for males and females and for diverseracial groups are compared. The Bulletin also details the characteristics of the victims and theperpetrators of homicides committed by juveniles. Using data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, this Bulletin offers the reader awealth of information on law enforcement and juvenile crime.

This report describes crimes against persons age 65 or older, by victim and incident characteristics. Data are from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Web-based InjuryStatistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), and the U. S. Census Bureau. In 2003-13- The rates of nonfatal violent crime (3.6 per 1,000 persons) and property crime (72 3 per 1,000) against elderly persons were lower than those of younger persons. The ratio of the estimates of property crime to violent crime was higher for the elderly (13 to 1) than for younger persons ages 25 to 49 (3 to 1) and persons ages 50 to 64 (5 to 1). Elderly homicide rates declined 44%, from 3.7 homicides per 100,000 persons in 1993 to 2.1 per 100,000 in 2011. Persons age 65 or older experienced more incidents of identity theft (5.0%) than persons ages 16 to 24 (3.8%), but less than persons ages 25 to 49 (7.9%) and ages 50 to 64 (7.8%). Among elderly violent crime victims, about 59% reported being victimized at or near their home. A smaller percentage of elderly victims (18%) suffered an injury during the incident, compared to victims ages 12 to 24 (30%) and ages 25 to 49 (25%). The elderly (56%) reported incidents of violent crime to police more than persons ages 12 to 24 (38%). No differences were detected with the elderly and other age groups. About 11% of elderly victims of violent crime received assistance from victim service agencies.

Law enforcement's role in child abuse cases cannot be overstated. It spans the entire casefrom the initial call, through the investigation, to the court proceedings. Law enforcementofficers investigate and determine if a criminal law has been violated; identify and apprehend the offender; file appropriate criminal charges; and provide guidance and support to the child, family, and other agencies involved. Law enforcement's response needs to be constant and consistent. This guide provides the information officers need to ensure consistency, understand their importance as vital members of the multidisciplinary team, and recognize the value of effective procedures and protocols in guiding their work with other professionals to meet the needs of abused children. In most child abuse cases, law enforcement becomes involved in one of two ways-a referral from a school, physician, or agency (such as social services), or a direct call from a parent, child, or neighbor. Because of the complexity of child abuse cases, officers need to be well-trained to handle them. Child abuse cases have unique characteristics that make them particularly difficult to investigate. Children often make "perfect" victims for the following reasons: - They may not be able to protect themselves because of their physical and mental development.- They generally do not like to talk about the abuse. As a result, they may delay disclosureor tell only part of the story.

Both affluent and low-income families struggle with the same issues concerning how to raise a child successfully. Many parents feel alone, too busy to connect with their children, and lacking in support from other adults. Using parent-professional collaborative teams, the Families and Schools Together (FAST) program systematically reaches out to entire families and organizes multifamily groups to increase parent involvementwith at-risk youth. Developed in 1987 by Dr. Lynn McDonald of Family Service, a nonprofit family counseling agency in Madison, WI, FAST helps at-risk youth (ages 3 to 14) build relationships through a research- and family therapy-based, multifamily group approach to preventing juveniledelinquency (McDonald, 1993, 1997; 1998; McDonald and Billingham, 1998; McDonald et al., 1991). FAST has been especially successful at involving low-income, stressed, and isolated parents. For several years, the founder of FAST conducted court-ordered, in-home, family therapy with drug- and alcohol-involved and violent youth who had been significantly involved in the court system. She applied family therapy techniques fordelinquents that were developed, researched, and published by James Alexander, Ph. D. (1973; Alexander and Parsons, 1973, 1982) and SalvadorMinuchin, M. D. (1979). Using these approaches,75 percent of delinquent youth could alter their circumstances in 3 months of two to three family sessions per week, with 24-hour backup coverage (McDonald, 1993). This therapeutic work developed into the FAST program for early intervention. The FAST program works withschool teachers to identify elementary school children about whom they have developmental or behavioral concerns

OJJDP supports the development and adoption of policies and programs that: - Provide access to quality (not cursory) legal counsel for all youth in the juvenile justice system.- Ensure that juveniles consult with counsel at the outset of the juvenile justice process (before waiving their right to counsel) and at every subsequent step, through postdisposition. The right to counsel for juveniles was established in 1967 with the landmark case In re Gault, 387U. S. 1, 87 S. Ct. 1428 (1967). In Gault, Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas wrote, "under our Constitution the condition of being a boy does not justify a kangaroo court," and the Court ruled against the argument that a probation officer or judge could adequately represent a minor, given the "awesome prospect" of incarceration until the age of majority. The Supreme Court held in Gault that children have the right to remain silent and that no child can be convicted unless compelling evidence is presented in court, under the due process clause of the 14th amendment. Gault was a major change in juvenile law in that it upheld the constitutional rights of children. As Justice Fortas wrote: "Neither the 14th amendment nor the Bill of Rights is for adults only." The 6th amendment also protects children's rights to assistance of defense counsel (Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U. S. 335 (1963)) and, moreover, to effective assistance of counsel (Stickland v. Washington, 466 U. S. 668 (1984)). The 6th and 14th amendments, along with the privileges enumerated in the Bill of Rights, form the constitutional lexicon of juvenile justice

The abuse of drugs is not a harmless personaldecision: there are real, long-lasting, anddevastating outcomes for those who abusedrugs and for their families, friends, and communities. And for some, the outcome may be lethal. With the knowledge contained in this edition, you can make smart choices for yourself, and help others avoid the tragedy that inevitably comes from drug abuse and addiction. Whether you purchase drugs from a pharmacy, or you get them from a friend, knowing the truth about them will help you understand the dangers they pose. Measured in American lives, health, safety, andresources, this cost is enormous: More young Americans die from drugs thansuicides, firearms, or school violence; The use of illicit drugs, and the non-medical use of prescription drugs, directly led to the death of 38,000 Americans in 2006, nearly as many who died in automobile accidents; The only disease that affects more people thansubstance abuse in America today is heart disease; Substance abuse is the single largest contributor to crime in the United States; In the latest year measured, the direct cost of drug abuse was estimated at $52 billion, with indirect costs of $128 billion. I believe none of this is necessary, and that with accurate, honest information about drugs, more Americans will make the right choices. Drugs of Abuse is designed to be a reliable resource on the most popularly abused drugs. This publication delivers clear, scientific information about drugs in a factual, straightforward way, combined with scores of precise photographs shot to scale. We believe that Drugs of Abuse fulfills an important educational need in our society. Around the world and across the nation, the dedicated men and women of the DEA are working hard to investigate and arrest the traffickers of dangerous drugs, such as those described here. They help keep our schools and neighborhoods safe and secure. But just as important, they are working hard to educate America's youth, their parents, and their teachers about the very real dangers of illegal drugs. Drugs of Abuse is an important step in that direction.

This bulletin presents findings from the Pathways to Desistance study about the effects of transfer from juvenile court to adult court on a sample of serious adolescent offenders in Maricopa County, AZ. The authors compare the extant literature with findings from the Pathways study and discuss the possible implications of these findings for future changes in transfer statutes. Following aresome key points: - Adolescents in the adult system may be at risk for disruptions in their personal development, identity formation, relationships, learning, growth in skills and competencies, and positive movement into adult status.- Most of the youth in the study who were sent to adult facilities returned to the community within a few years, varying widely in their levels of adjustment. Youth were more likely to successfully adjust when they were not influenced by antisocial peers.- Prior work indicates that transferred youth are more likely to commit criminal acts than adolescents kept in the juvenile justice system.- Findings from the Pathways study indicate that transfer may have a differential effect (either reducing or increasing offending), dependingon the juvenile's presenting offense and prior offense history.

Law enforcement executives, academics, attorneys, and federal governmentrepresentatives addressed the different effective strategies that have been developed to combat these problems, including various managementand personnel decisions, videotaping suspect interviews, considering the availability of eyewitness identification options (simultaneous lineups versus sequential lineups), DNA analysis, and using cold case units and crime analysts to increase clearance rates. Case studies presented at the conference highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses associated with various investigation techniques. A town hall forum allowed attendees to discuss variables that contribute to an effective homicide unit. A lively discussion ensued, with participants mainlyfocusing on the role of science and technology, specifically how technology may at first appear to complicate the process but ultimately assistslaw enforcement by fostering change and improving investigational methods. PERF and the COPS Office hope that this publication will help law enforcement officials determine which promising practices are the mostappropriate for their departments. It has been our pleasure to facilitate and summarize the discussion for the benefit of all.

Through the Targeting Violent Crime Initiative, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, U. S. Department of Justice, has identified numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the United States that have experienced tremendous success in combating complex crime problems plaguing their communities. A cornerstone of these agencies' efforts appears to be the incorporation of intelligence-led policing, along with other initiatives, to address their crime problems. To better understand the role of ILP in these successes, BJA requested a study of selected programs that represent a broad spectrum of agencies that are geographically diverse and varied in agency size and available resources. The purpose of the study was to identify commonalities, challenges, and best practices that may be replicated in other jurisdictions. The study was composed of case studies of selected agencies and involved delving into the nature and scope of the crime problems targeted...

This book contains the most recent family violence statistics from these sources: surveys conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the BJS database of Federal statistics, and two statistical databases maintained by the FBI. The sources provide statistical snapshots of family violence at different stages in the administration of justice. First are statistics on the nature and extent of family violence. Next are statistics on family violence that is reported to police, followed by statistics on the prosecution of persons charged with family violence. Lastly are statistics on persons sent to prison or jail for family violence. The book is divided into eight sections giving statistics on -- Reported and unreported family violence- Fatal family violence- Family violence reported to police- Family violence recorded by police- State prosecution of family assault- Federal prosecution of domestic violence- Family violence offenders in prison- Family violence offenders in jail.