Gangs: Complex Community Issue
While the phenomenon of gangs is not new to Canada, the increasing concern about gangs and how to respond to gangs, particularly when youth are involved, is relatively new. In-depth, Canadian research on the topic of gangs is still in its infancy. In our review of over fifty articles on the topic of street or prison gangs, approximately 20 per cent of the studies were found to be based on Canadian data. As a consequence, community understanding of gangs is largely limited to media accounts of gang activities, and the popularitization of “gangsta” imagery in movies, television and music. These portrayals are based mainly on what’s happening in large cities in the United States, and have little bearing on the situation in Canada. As a result, Canadian communities are both fascinated by and terrified of gang activities, and are at a loss as to how to respond to the behaviour.
Schools are struggling to find a way to respond to young people who may be involved with gangs or imitate gang behaviour. These are the students who are engaging in violent and intimidating behaviour, including carrying weapons to school. Families struggle to protect their children from associating with gangs and to give them the guidance and support they need to avoid gang involvement. Communities struggle to find ways to create a sense of safety in their neighbourhoods. Police struggle to find a way to deal with young people involved in criminal activities associated with gangs. Organizations serving young people and families struggle to meet the complex needs of young people and families. Governments struggle to develop policy frameworks to guide the development of strategies and services to prevent youth involvement in gangs. Young people themselves struggle to find a way to obtain the support they need from families, schools and communities to grow and develop the competencies and skills they need to avoid gang involvement.
Compounding this lack of understanding of the problem is the question of who is responsible for articulating solutions and taking action to address the problem. Who frames the issue and how is the issue framed? Is the gang phenomenon an issue of suppression with a focus on organized crime lead by the police and justice system? Is it an issue of intervention with a focus on gang-involved youth lead by corrections and government agencies? Is it an issue of prevention with a focus on at-risk young people lead by community members and community groups? These questions underscore the complexity of the problem and the resulting solutions. The issues are socially and technically complicated and involve multiple stakeholders. Moreover, the dynamics surrounding gangs are constantly shifting. It is not an issue that lends itself to quick fixes, nor is it an issue that can be adequately addressed by a single organization. Gangs and gang activity have complex social, political, educational, justice and economic layers. Resolving issues with respect to gang activity must involve changes in attitudes, societal norms, relationships, organizational cultures, policies, civic action and laws. As such, the processes and practices involved in developing a comprehensive community approach to the issue of gangs are broad in scope and move beyond the patchwork provision of programs and services. The community approach seeks systemic change that creates linkages between systems, and redefines ways of working together to develop a collaborative, integrated approach to gangs. It is a way to create joined-up solutions to joined-up problems.
As logical as this approach may seem, our systems, organizations, and services are not designed to work together. We work within specialized systems that are informed by different paradigms and are expected to be self-contained. The space on the margins and the space between systems is often neglected or ignored. Work is typically defined in terms of specialties in which we distinguish ourselves by our differences rather than our commonalities. Plans and services are largely developed in isolation from others, and in some instances, from a place of secrecy. Scarce resources often pit agencies against one another in the competition for funds, rather than fostering possible collaboration. Personal power and responsibility for action tends to be hierarchical and focused on the transactions necessary to deliver specific services and achieve outcomes in keeping with specific mandates. Problems and solutions are seen to be self-contained.
The intent here is not to make judgments about the supremacy of one view over the other, but to highlight the dynamics surrounding comprehensive community initiatives. There is a place for, and indeed, even a need for organizations to work as independent units where efforts can be focused on specific and clearly defined issues and problems. Not every community issue or problem requires a comprehensive, collaborative approach. However, it is warranted when the issue is extremely complex, as was stated by a leading expert in public leadership, who has written that when “the problems are interconnected, crossing jurisdictional, organizational and functional boundaries and are intertwined with other problems, a comprehensive community initiative is required”.
issues and problems. Not every community issue or problem requires a comprehensive, collaborative approach. However, it is warranted when the issue is extremely complex, as was stated by a leading expert in public leadership, who has written that when “the problems are interconnected, crossing jurisdictional, organizational and functional boundaries and are intertwined with other problems, a comprehensive community initiative is required.
· Excellent assessment, counseling and administrative skills, including group facilitation skills acquired through a post-secondary diploma in the Community and Justice Services field and related work experience - in Harm Reduction and Youth Employment settings
· Counseling and case management including assessing offenders to determine their needs and risks
· Excellent knowledge of issues related to child development in high-risk environments
· Knowledge of the impact of poverty, racism, immigrant and refugee status on families
· Detail-oriented individual with excellent interpersonal, communication and written skills
· Demonstrate understanding of the concepts of a client-centered relationship and ability to respect confidentiality and to create a safe space to address issues
· Ability to maintain rapport and serve as a role model and demonstrate an approach toward the youth which is compatible with the program model of the facility
GTYGS
ISSUES To develop a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the issue of gangs. The approach draws from the emerging theory and practice on comprehensive community initiatives that centers on the idea that “multiple and interrelated problems…require multiple and interrelated solutions”. Comprehensive community initiatives, like Community Solution to Gang Violence are marked by the following key features
• Comprehensive and broad in scope;
• Holistic, breaking down silos and linking systems;
• Multi-sectoral and inclusive, recognizing value of diverse backgrounds, networks and areas of expertise;
• Developmental and long-term, moving with the pace set by the community;
• Focus on the assets and resources embedded in communities; and
Concerned with both process and outcome, building the capacity of the community to make significant improvements around an issue and in the way issues are addressed.
• “Focus attention on the issue to the public and policy agenda;
• Engage people in the effort by concerning the diverse set of people, agencies and interests needed to address the issue;
• Stimulate strategies and options for action; and
• Sustain action and momentum by managing the interconnections through appropriate institution and rapid information sharing and feedback
PROGRAM CONVERGE
• Youth 12-24 years of age who are at risk of or already belong to a youth gang
• Structuring on gang intervention awareness through outreaching to the community
• Corroborative not only youth at peril, but also their families
• Supply gang awareness workshops for Youths
YOUTH RISK FACTORS
• History of criminal activity, or family members with criminal history
• Deficient of strong family ties and problem solving skills
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Education and employment
• Scarce-city of strong family ties and family structure
• Deficient of strong family ties and problem solving skills
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Education and employment
• Scarce-city of strong family ties and family structure
• Emotional vulnerability to gang peer pressure and feelings of disconnection from family, schools, community
• Trauma and victimization
Theme Areas
• Community Awareness
• Values and Education
• Early Intervention
• Youth Programming
• Addictions/Treatment
• Resources/Funding
• Government/Policy
• Leadership
Vision Emerges
To achieve these outcomes an interactive process was developed that enabled participants to share their knowledge and experience of the issue, identify the underlying causes behind the issue and to identify strategies and actions for addressing these issues. From these discussions, the following Vision Statement and theme areas emerged to guide the development of “Community Solution to Gang Violence.”
Community Support Team
The Community Support Team (CST) provides clinical counseling and support services to at risk youth in conflict with the law and their families in the Greater Toronto Area. The philosophy of the CST is one of optimism, with the belief that youth and their families are capable of positive change when given access to appropriate and adequate resources.
The service is community based and collaborates with other service providers including Probation Services and schools to assist in rehabilitation and reintegration. The youth and family's immediate and long-term needs are addressed though the delivery of a comprehensive assessment and a multi-disciplinary team that includes a consulting psychologist and psychiatrist.
The Community Support Team's approach is a mobile, community outreach service and efforts are made to ensure continuity of service, regardless of the youth's location.
The service is community based and collaborates with other service providers including Probation Services and schools to assist in rehabilitation and reintegration. The youth and family's immediate and long-term needs are addressed though the delivery of a comprehensive assessment and a multi-disciplinary team that includes a consulting psychologist and psychiatrist.
The Community Support Team's approach is a mobile, community outreach service and efforts are made to ensure continuity of service, regardless of the youth's location.
Intensive Support & Supervision Program
The Intensive Support and Supervision Program (ISSP) provides an intensive, clinically-focused, community-based, individualized program designed to deliver services appropriate to the youth's level of functioning, specific needs and mental health diagnoses that may be contributing factors to the youth's offending behaviors’.
The ISSP goals include:
• Providing intensive services to assist the young person and their family
• Strengthen emotional, physical and psychological well-being of the young person
• Change offending behaviors of the young person
• Reduce use of custody sentences for youth with mental health diagnoses
• Transition planning for the young person and their family
• Linking the young person and their family to other community support services
The ISSP goals include:
• Providing intensive services to assist the young person and their family
• Strengthen emotional, physical and psychological well-being of the young person
• Change offending behaviors of the young person
• Reduce use of custody sentences for youth with mental health diagnoses
• Transition planning for the young person and their family
• Linking the young person and their family to other community support services
GTYGS VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM
The Violence Prevention Program is a free service designed to promote a change in attitudes and beliefs regarding violence and bullying through interactive workshops and presentations for Youths. Requests for workshop can be made by individual schools and community organizations.
• Anger Management
• Anti-Bullying
• Conflict Resolution
• Dating Violence/Healthy Relationships
• Youth Gang Awareness
• Anti-Homophobia
• Internet Safety
• Anti-Racism
• Self-Esteem
• Sexual Harassment
• Anger Management
• Anti-Bullying
• Conflict Resolution
• Dating Violence/Healthy Relationships
• Youth Gang Awareness
• Anti-Homophobia
• Internet Safety
• Anti-Racism
• Self-Esteem
• Sexual Harassment
