Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program: Final Y1 Report

RESEARCH REPORT October 2010 Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program: Final Y1 Report Terence Dunworth Dave Hayeslip Morgan Lyons Megan Denver research for safer communities URBAN INSTITUTE Justice Policy Center GRYD Y1 Evaluation Report iContents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................................................ IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ V INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... V GRYD PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION ................................................................................................ V EVALUATION OBJECTIVES AND PROCEDURES DURING Y1 ....................................................................................... VI PROGRAM COMPLEXITY, PROGRAM MODEL DEFICIENCY, AND DIVERSITY OF SERVICE PROVISION ...................... VII RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT .......................................................................................................................... VII GRYDIS CHALLENGES .......................................................................................................................................... VIII THE IMPACT OF SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS ................................................................................................................. IX WEAK PROVISIONS IN Y1 PROVIDER CONTRACTS ................................................................................................... IX SLOW PROCESSING OF THE UI-LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT MOU .............................................................. X YOUTH SERVICES ELIGIBILITY TOOL AND RETEST RESULTS .................................................................................... X CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................ XI LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. XIV INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I GANGS AND CRIME: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ....................................................... 2 I.1. OVERVIEW OF STREET GANGS IN THE UNITED STATES ....................................................................................... 2 I.1.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 2 I.1.2. National Estimates of Street Gang Prevalence .......................................................................................... 3 I.1.3. Gangs, Violence and Crime ....................................................................................................................... 4 I.1.3.a. Delinquency and Gangs ................................................................................................................................... 4 I.1.3.b. Risk Factors ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 I.1.3.c. Communities and Gang Involvement ............................................................................................................... 6 I.1.4. Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 I.2. STREET GANGS IN LOS ANGELES ........................................................................................................................ 9 I.2.1. Evolution of LA Gangs ............................................................................................................................... 9 I.2.2. Recent Prevalence Estimates in Los Angeles ........................................................................................... 10 I.2.3. Gangs, Violence and Crime ..................................................................................................................... 12 I.1.4. Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER II THE LOS ANGELES GANG REDUCTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM . 15 II.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 15 II.2. ORIGINS ...............................................................