Middle District of Louisiana Gang Violence Reduction Program

The Anti-Gang Initiative provides funds to support new or expanded anti-gang enforcement and prevention efforts under the existing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Initiative. These new funds may be used by the PSN task force to combat gangs by leveraging current strategies and partnerships developed under PSN initiatives or may be used to develop new anti-gang initiatives. The Anti-Gang initiative will be led by the United States Attorney in each of the 94 federal judicial districts across America. Grant funds will be awarded to a single fiscal agent in each of the 94 districts. The fiscal agent, in coordination with the PSN task force, will allocate the funds throughout the community to support the anti-gang initiative in that community.

The City of Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Juvenile Services serves as the fiscal agent for Louisiana Middle District's 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative Program and will utilize the award to target high crime areas within the inner city of Baton Rouge. Grant funding will be used to continue gang violence suppression strategies through Operation Eiger and the Shotokan Karate Project. Operation Eiger is an intensive supervision program that targets high-risk youths with multiple offenses. Participants are identified by the Baton Rouge Department of Juvenile Services and are then placed on a contact list for an Eiger police probation team which consists of one uniformed police officer, one adult probation officer, and one juvenile probation officer. Prior to participation, each youth receives an individualized service plan based on a comprehensive evaluation. Eiger Teams operate at night on an overtime basis and conduct unscheduled visits to Eiger homes and neighborhood hot spots. Each Eiger is visited an average of 5.5 times per month. During these visits, the team checks for compliance with the terms of probation and assesses the individual's needs and family situation. Eigers who violate the terms of their probation or commit new offenses are severely sanctioned by the courts' zero tolerance policy.

The Shotokan Karate Project will provide karate lessons for youth ages 14-18 who are under the guidance of the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Juvenile Services. Sessions will be held three times per week for twelve weeks. Juvenile Services expects that participation in Shotokan karate will aid in the prevention of youth engaging in anti-social behavior. Shotokan promotes character development among participants by focusing on core values including discipline, respect, sincerity, effort and etiquette. The grantee will use this project to reinforce the psycho-education intervention offered to the youth by Juvenile Services to prevent recidivism.

NCA/NCF