Evaluation of Programs that Work

The Commission has collected websites with valuable information about programs that have been evaluated and are considered best practices.

The Office of Justice Programs has a Model Programs Guide that is recommended to communities. The U.S. Department of Justice has a center for program evaluation.

Learning Around the Clock: Benefits of Expanded Learning Opportunities for Older Youth (PDF), from the American Youth Policy Forum, was designed to help policymakers and practitioners learn about expanded learning opportunities that help youth improve their academic performance and school engagement, learn skills important for career success, develop positive social and behavioral skills, and improve their health and wellness.

The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence is working to build bridges between the research community, practitioners and policy makers who share the goal of preventing violence and antisocial behavior and promoting positive youth development .

Research List

The Commission has updated research for anyone looking for citations of programs that work and initiatives that are important, and made it available on this list (PDF).

• The California Wellness Foundation Grantee Magazine reports on Shifting a Paradigm to Save Young Lives (PDF). Over the past two decades with $118 million funded, California Wellness Foundation grantees progress in using an approach of public health and safety to show that violence against youth is and can always be preventable. It is a long-term commitment to keep youth safe.
• The SDSU Journalism and Media Studies reports on a young woman who commits her life to preventing violence overtaking others. JMS Reports (PDF) has information on how survivors of violence cope and help to prevent violence from happening at all and/or ever again. Violence is always preventable.

2015-2020 Commission Strategic Action Plan

The Commission's 2015-2020 Strategic Action Plan is entitled "A Strategic Collaborative Approach to Impacting Gang Violence: The Community Focused Youth Empowerment Initiative."

2013 Commission Strategic Action Plan

The Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention's 2013 Strategic Action Plan (PDF)

2009 Commission Workplan

The Commission has updated its 2009 Workplan (PDF).

2007 Strategic Action Plan

The Commission has completed its Strategic Action Plan (PDF). The plan is the Commission's response to the following task:

Develop a more strategic, coordinated, and collaborative effort between the City, law enforcement agencies, social service providers and the general public with the objective of significantly curtailing gang involvement, and its negative impact in the City of San Diego.

Make recommendations concerning gang prevention, intervention, diversion and suppression methods; identify local, state and federal funding sources; and address other gang-related policy matters. (San Diego Municipal Code Article 6, Division 19)

The Commission Values impacting the Strategic Plan are:

• All residents have a right to live free from violence.
• All residents have a right to social, educational and economic opportunities.
• All communities in the City deserve to thrive; and the Commission opposes any activity that would devalue any community in the City of San Diego.
• Every community of adults has a responsibility to nurture its young people, so they are equipped to make positive choices to succeed in life and not choose gangs or violence as a lifestyle.
• All youth deserve to feel safe in this City.

Strategic Action Plan Addendum A (PDF)

General Research

National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (PDF)
The National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence includes valuable information regarding several categories of violence either as victims or witnesses homes, schools and communities.

Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (PDF)
The Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) covers detailed information on the youth's characteristics, backgrounds and expectations, the conditions of their confinement, their needs and the services they receive, and their experiences of victimization in placement. The bulletin also provides needs and services to help educate parents as well as promote a healthy lifestyle for their children.

Bulletin Reviews Research on Girls' Delinquency (PDF)
This Juvenile Justice link covers the issue of girls involved in delinquent behaviors and suggests evidenced-based programs help divert them.

U.S. Department of Justice: Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems (PDF)

This report provides guidance for communities that are considering how best to address a youth gang problem that already exists or threatens to become a reality. The guidance is based on the implementation of the Comprehensive Gang Model developed through the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

National League of Cities

"Preventing Gang Violence" is a report by the National League of Cities that looks at the proliferation of gangs that can bring fear and violence to every block of a city. In addition to suffering unacceptably high numbers of deaths and injuries, gang-besieged neighborhoods are plagued by intimidation, economic and physical decay, and withdrawal from civic engagement. But cities are experimenting with a wide range of new approaches that not only seek to suppress gang violence, but also build communities that do not produce gangs in the first place.

Long Beach’s Safe Long Beach Violence Prevention Plan

The city of Long Beach conducted a Violence Prevention Plan which, with improved communication between the city and county government, will provide a safer environment for the youth and citizens of Long Beach by the year 2020. This long term plan was written by the city's youth, community and faith based organizations, law enforcement and city and county government: Safe Long Beach Violence Prevention Plan.

Gang Wars

Gang Wars - The Failure of Enforcement Tactics and the Need for Effective Public Safety Strategies
The Justice Policy Institute released an important review of what works and what doesn't. Written by Judith Greene and Kevin Pranis, read pages 84-97 for a wrap up of what works and how.