Caren Harp, Administrator 

Youth Gangs 

Gangs have an adverse impact on youth and communities across America. Over 

the years, youth gangs have become increasingly complex, lethal, and resistant to 

control. Sustainable solutions must involve comprehensive approaches that contain 

the spread of gang activity, protect youth who are most susceptible, and hold those 

engaged in gang violence appropriately accountable. 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) anti-gang

initiatives help communities implement comprehensive, data-informed strategies to

combat youth gangs. 

Programs 

OJJDP’s anti-gang portfolio combines prevention, intervention, and suppression 

programs to help identify and address the root causes of youth gang activity within 

affected communities. These programs are based on the core components of the 

OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model. 

Grantees work to change community members’ attitudes regarding violence, 

provide youth with alternatives to gang membership, and educate them about the 

risks of gang involvement. OJJDP also funds services—including mentoring, life 

skills training, and substance abuse counseling—for gang members who want to 

desist from gang activity. 

OJJDP funding helps communities gather and share data about their gang problem 

so they can develop effective strategies to suppress youth gangs and sustain 

reductions in youth violence. 

The Office also funds programs to support youth victims of gang violence. 

Youth who experience violence are susceptible to behavioral and mental 

health challenges, including perpetrating violence in the future, substance use, 

depression, academic difficulties, and suicide.1

 OJJDP funding helps service 

providers identify, treat, and seek justice for victims. 

Training and Technical Assistance 

The National Gang Center provides information, training, and customized technical 

assistance to help communities address their unique gang problems. The center 

offers an array of resources, including the Strategic Planning Tool and the OJJDP 

Comprehensive Gang Model—a proven framework for coordinated action that 

helps communities prevent youth from joining gangs and reduce street gang 

violence and crime. 

For More Information 

Access more information about OJJDP’s youth gang prevention programs at

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/gang-violence-prevention. 

June 2020 

Funding 

Between fscal years 2017 and 

2019, OJJDP awarded $16.5 

million to strengthen anti-gang 

initiatives nationwide. 

` Fiscal Year 2019—$7.4 million 

` Fiscal Year 2018—$5.6 million 

` Fiscal Year 2017—$3.5 million 

From the Field 

The South Houston Victims of 

Gang Violence Support Project is 

an OJJDP-funded, communitybased gang prevention and 

intervention program. 

In addition to providing services 

to victims of gang violence,

the program coordinates 

multidisciplinary teams to track

gang activity, fosters agency 

collaboration, develops policy, and 

conducts community outreach and 

education to address gang activity 

and victimization in Houston, TX.

“There are many victims [of youth

gangs]—those who suffer from

the actions of the gang, but also

those youth who are lured into

[gangs] only to be taken advantage

of,” says Patricia Harrington,

division manager, city of Houston’s

Department of Neighborhoods.

“Understanding their victimization

is key to successfully helping them

leave that life behind.” 

1 David-Ferdon, C., Vivolo-Kantor, A.M., Dahlberg, L.L., Marshall, K.J., Rainford, N., and Hall, J.E. 2016. Office of Juvenile Justice and 

A Comprehensive Technical Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Associated Risk Behaviors. Delinquency Prevention Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

ojjdp.ojp.gov NCJ 254569