Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2007, $303,266)
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 Non-Profit Resource Center of Alabama (NPRCA) serves as the fiscal agent for the Northern District of Alabama's Fiscal Year 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative. The District will utilize this funding to increase the effectiveness of gang investigations and community supervision. Funds will be directed to support the suppression, intervention, and prevention of gang activity in one Project Safe Neighborhood site in the District, Birmingham. The Birmingham metropolitan area has the highest homicide rate in the state, the prison system is operating at 200 percent of capacity, and recidivism rates continue to escalate due to inadequate resources for comprehensive rehabilitation efforts while incarcerated. To address these concerns, the NPRCA developed the COMPASS (Creating Opportunity Maps to Promote Achievement and Shared Success) concept to prevent future violent, delinquent or problematic behaviors occurring in the district. The core principles of the program are to implement the following criteria: 1) expand mentoring and family intervention programs to assist families involved in the court system; 2) develop social training mentoring programs for effective dissemination and sustainability; and 3) perform asset mapping procedures, involving community stakeholders in identifying organizations, businesses, and agencies willing to commit to the community. The COMPASS program also includes a family component that includes participation activities, and positive feedback instruction.
NCA/NCF