Research and Evaluation Projects on Gangs
NIJ has sponsored evaluations of anti-gang and anti-gun-violence programs ranging from Chicago CeaseFire to Project Safe Neighborhoods. These programs were informed by the strengths and weaknesses of past efforts, such as Boston Ceasefire and the Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative.
Process and Outcome Evaluation of G.R.E.A.T.
The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum for middle-school youth. The program's primary objective is prevention. It is intended to immunize young people against delinquency, violence and gang membership. Read more about G.R.E.A.T.
An evaluation of G.R.E.A.T. lead to significant changes in the curriculum; the new curriculum is currently being evaluated. The evaluators are monitoring program fidelity and tracking students from sixth grade through eleventh grade in seven cities to understand the impact the revised curriculum is having. Read the results of the previous evaluation of G.R.E.A.T.
Evaluating the Impact of the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative
The Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) is based on the strategic problem-solving model used in Project Safe Neighborhoods. Under CAGI, the Department of Justice made competitive awards to multiple sites to implement anti-gang prevention, enforcement and reentry strategies. The NIJ-sponsored evaluation of CAGI is assessing the implementation and impact of anti-gang efforts at these sites. Learn more about CAGI.
Evaluation of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention
Chicago's Operation CeaseFire uses prevention, intervention and community-mobilization strategies to reduce shootings and killings. The program is managed by the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. This NIJ-sponsored process and outcome evaluation detailed the program's approaches to building collaborations at the CeaseFire sites and examined the efficiency and effectiveness of variations in CeaseFire's local implementation. Learn more about Chicago CeaseFire and the findings from the NIJ evaluation.
Evaluation of Gang Hot Spots Policing in Chicago
Hot spot policing plays a central role in many violence reduction initiatives. NIJ sponsored a process and outcome evaluation of gang-specific hot spots policing in Chicago. The researchers examined when and how it was most effective. They also summarized best practices for applying the hot spots strategy to reducing violent gang activity. Read more about hot spot analysis.
One Vision One Life Evaluation
Pittsburgh's One Vision One Life program is modeled after Chicago CeaseFire. This NIJ-sponsored evaluation assessed whether homicide, aggravated assault and other gun and shooting offenses declined after One Vision One Life was implemented compared to matched control neighborhoods. The evaluation also examined whether crime was displaced or diffused as a result of the program. Learn more about the NIJ evaluation results.
Next section: NIJ's Interagency Collaboration on Gangs.
