Lawrence

Problem
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Proposed Strategy
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Past Progress


Problem


Lawrence has high unemployment and a dropout rate that is roughly 4 times the state average, contributing to increases in youth at risk for gang involvement.

There were 273 documented youth crime incidents within the city (1/1/08-7/31/08) of which 24% were gang-related.

Teen births have been identified by Lawrence as a central issue in contributing to the revolving cycle of youth and gang violence in the city.

Youth are using the increasing number of vacant properties as places to hold gang-affiliated parties.

Proposed Strategy


Lawrence police department will:
  1. Continue to hold weekly gang meetings with school resource and gang unit officers to share information and intelligence on gang-related issues impacting the community.
  2. Target city parks where gang members have been known to hang out.
  3. Continue home visits to parents and family of gang-involved youth to share/make referrals to available services.
  4. Continue to share information and educate the community and service agencies on gang activity in the city.
  5. Will address the direct link between underage drinking/partying and violent juvenile assaults and shootings.
  6. Host a Jr. Police Academy designed to educate youth concerning the various aspects of the law enforcement profession.

Lawrence service providers will:
  1. Address teen dating and violence and include a program specifically focused on identifying the link between violence and teen pregnancy.
  2. Expand junior and teen achievers programs, which provide early intervention services to youth ages 11-18 who have been involved in criminal or delinquent activities.
  3. Offer Street Smart, a comprehensive gang and violence prevention initiative, to 200 Lawrence youth to deter gang involvement and promote conflict resolution.
  4. Provide community services, GED/alternatives, job training, counseling and support services, and leadership development.
  5. Add a boxing component that provides discipline, a safe environment, competition, and travel.

Past Progress


Lawrence Shannon CSI partners have worked to achieve a more comprehensive definition of gang crime and to understand gang-crime problems.

Lawrence PD's Operation Party Crashers was a helpful tool for gathering gang intelligence and reducing juvenile-crime incidents by ending parties or stopping them before they took place.

Lawrence PD developed a gang crime tracking system to identify patterns and hot- spots for gang activity.

Junior and teen achievers programs have served over 200 high-risk youth during after-school and early evening hours.

YMCA runs a mentoring program that serves 40 high-risk youth and has a series of other programs that provide safe spaces/alternatives.