Posting this because the state budget will have major affects on ALL of the risk and protective factors that allow gangs to grow and thrive in our communities.

The Department of Finance has decided to release the trigger cut report early. The Governor will hold a 12:00 Noon press conference today with the Director of Finance to announce which triggers will be pulled.

Below is a link to an article from The Sacramento Bee with the details on the tiered trigger mechanism.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/12/4116082/californias-financial-forecast.html#ixzz1gRIiVnlS

The National Gang Intelligence Center issued its 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment (NGTA) : 

• Since 2009, gang membership has increased by over 40 percent. 
• There are 1,400,000 active gang members in the United States. 
• There are more than 33,000 gangs in the United States. 
• Gang membership increased most significantly in the Northeast and Southeast regions, although the West and Great Lakes boast the highest number of gang members. 
• Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90% in several others, according to the NGIC analysis. 
• Gang-related crime and violence is escalating as they employ violence and intimidation to control their territories and illicit operations. 
• Gang members are migrating from urban areas to suburban and rural communities to recruit new members, expand their drug territories, form new alliances and collaborate with rival gangs. Local neighborhood, hybrid and female gang membership is on the rise. 

View the entire report at http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/

On June 22, 2011 the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) launched CrimeSolutions.gov, a one-stop shop for information about programs that work in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. This new website is a credible resource to inform practitioners about what works using the best available evidence in order to help state, local, and tribal jurisdictions address crime effectively and efficiently.

This searchable online database includes over 145 evidence-based programs and covers a range of justice-related topics including: ·         Corrections & Reentry ·         Courts ·         Crime & Crime Prevention ·         Drugs & Substance Abuse ·         Juveniles ·         Law Enforcement ·         Technology &Forensics ·         Victims & Victimization

Expert reviewers assess available studies on each program and assign “evidence ratings” – effective, promising, or no results – to indicate whether there is evidence from research that a program achieves its goals. Replicating programs that have been shown to work (“effective” and “promising” programs) has the potential to not only improve outcomes, but also save time and resources.

As Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson explained “We all have tight budgets today. CrimeSolutions.gov helps us take a ‘smart on crime’ approach that relies on data-driven, evidence-based analysis to identify and replicate justice-related programs that have shown real results in preventing and reducing crime and serving crime victims.” For more information visit www.crimesolutions.gov or contact Phelan Wyrick at phelan.wyrick@usdoj.gov 

With his signature of the state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown eliminated the statewide gang task force that was touted during a press conference in Tulare April 7 by state Attorney General Kamala Harris and local law enforcement officials.

The $71 million cut eliminates the approximately 200 state Department of Justice officers who worked with law enforcement agencies up and down the state. The action also wipes out the San Joaquin Valley Marijuana Task Force.

Read the full article here http://www.recorderonline.com/news/state-49337-force-task.html