In its capacity as the Project Safe Neighborhoods research partner, the Institute worked with stakeholders in Onondaga County to conduct a comprehensive gang assessment. The gang assessment includes an analysis of the scope and nature of Syracuse’s gang problem and factors that may be contributing to local gang involvement. The project will ultimately serve to support the development of data driven strategies (prevention, intervention, and suppression) – grounded in social science literature – to address gang issues. The assessment includes data from official sources as well as primary data collected through surveys, interviews and focus groups administered to law enforcement, service providers, parents, community members, and youth. The assessment examines five domains:
- community demographic data,
- law enforcement data,
- school data,
- community perceptions data, and
- community resources data.
The project was designed to support the development of data driven strategies (prevention, intervention, and suppression) – grounded in social science literature – to address gang crime. The Institute continued to work with local stakeholders to formulate and adapt evidence-based strategic initiatives suitable for Syracuse, geared toward leverage points uncovered through the assessment. This work culminated in the current gang violence reduction initiatives on which the Institute is now working.
Supported by NDNY [July, 2010 – June, 2012] and by the Central New York Community Foundation through the Salvation Army of Syracuse [December, 2011 – December, 2012]
Publications, Reports and Presentations
Sarah J. McLean and Robert E. Worden, 2011. City of Syracuse Youth Gang Assessment: Phase I. Report to the Onondaga County IMPACT Consortium/Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and the Syracuse Community Intervention Committee. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety.
Sarah J. McLean and Robert E. Worden, 2012. City of Syracuse Youth Gang Assessment. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety.