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<br />SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTIVITIES <br />COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT <br />In keeping with the OJJDP Gang Model, the Commission recommends that <br />the City of Santa Ana conduct a comprehensive community assessment. The <br />assessment process in Santa Ana would be a significant undertaking given the <br />complexity of the problem, as well as the labor-intensive nature of conducting detailed <br />data collection that will produce objective and helpful results. In the end, however, only <br />a comprehensive assessment will allow the Commission, the community and its <br />partners to make sound, practical and achievable recommendations to the City Council. <br />The assessment will gather and analyze in-depth information to describe the <br />social, economic, and cultural characteristics of youth gangs in several distinct <br />neighborhoods of the city. Rather than attempt an entire city-wide assessment the <br />choosing of several distinct neighborhoods to assess would help establish a <br />representative sample of city-wide gang issues. The assessment will seek to answer <br />three primary questions regarding youth gangs and gang violence: <br />• How do youth in Santa Ana become involved in gangs? <br />• What social, economic and cultural factors contribute to an <br />environment conducive to youth gangs and youth gang violence in <br />Santa Ana? <br />• What research-based, proven solutions have been used in similar <br />communities to develop effective short, medium, and long-term <br />strategies to prevent gang recruitment and gang violence? <br />The assessment will provide EPIC, the City of Santa Ana, the City Council and <br />the community with knowledge regarding three areas: <br />• Knowledge of Gang Involvement and Ganq Crimes: While much is known <br />generally about why youth join gangs, and the types of crimes most often <br />committed by gangs, communities must also have knowledge of specific trends, <br />patterns, and factors within their jurisdictions to make best practice decisions <br />regarding intervention and suppression. <br />• Knowledge of Available Community and Organizational Resources: While <br />suppression and effective community policing are part of the overall OJJDP <br />model, the model also calls for the identification of "relevant services and <br />activities" to better collaborate responses to youth gangs. This assessment will <br />EPIC Progress Report to City Council - 2008 Page 14 <br />19D-15 <br />