Title: The Michigan youth gang handbook
First published: 1996
Description: This is a handbook that was developed by Michael Pontius, a licensed counselor and social worker, while he was working with gang evolved youth who were placed by the courts in a residential care facility for assessment and treatment.  Between the dates of 1986-1994 Mr. Pontius had the opportunity to participate in the interview and milieu assessment of over 2000 Michigan males, who were of the average age of 16, had had been adjudicated for multiple felony offenses, eight prior placements, and acknowledge their gang involvement.  He developed relationships with many of these residents and from them developed both general and very specific information about gangs in Michigan at that time including signs, symbols, and behaviors. 

The Michigan Youth Gang Handbook was only sold to professionals in law enforcement and treatment. Some copies were purchased or given to a few Libraries including the Library of Congress and the Library of Michigan.  The concern of the author was that the information in the handbook, if made available to the general population, could be easily accessed by children who might use its contents to help them in becoming gang involved.  

The handbook was specifically written to provide treatment practitioners and those in the justice community with an understanding of what the youth gang problem was at the time of its publishing.  It was used in conjunction with training to help participants better understand youth gangs in Michigan and how to work with gang involved youth while on probation or in a residential treatment setting.  

The handbook has photographs, illustrations, various gang group materials including statements made by youth gang members about their gangs to help the reader understand gang values, behaviors and organization structure.

For several years following the initial publishing of the Michigan Youth Gang Handbook, The State of Michigan's Child Welfare Institute, The Michigan Judicial Institute, The Michigan Alliance of Children Agencies (M.A.C.A.), The Michigan Juvenile Detention Association and The National Juvenile Detention Association in addition to many other private child care organizations, utilized Mr. Pontius as a consultant and trainer.  

The Michigan Youth Gang Handbook was no longer printed and distributed by Mr. Pontius after 1999 because he believed that so much of the information that was in the handbook had become common knowledge and many other books, manuals and web sites were producing more current and detailed information that the need for the Michigan Youth Gang Handbook was no longer necessary.

Michael Pontius now works a the staff trainer for the 17th Judicial Circuit Court's Juvenile Detention in Grand Rapids, Michigan and serves as an adjunct professor to Spring Arbor University.  He continues providing training and consultation on working with gang evolved youth which focuses on the use of social networks and technology by gangs and effective strategies for managing youth gang populations on probation and in residential treatment settings and confinement.
Subjects: Juvenile delinquency, Gangs
Places: Michigan
LC classification: HV6439.U7 M536 1996