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neighborhood-based organizations. This approach resulted in a number of lessons learned (listed later in this report), and in the Commission adopting a set of principles to guide its future work. In brief, these principles are: • The youth gang problem is a public health issue that must be viewed and addressed systemically and strategically, with the community as the principal partner. • This systematic approach must include a firm and enduring commitment from the City Council and other government agencies, as well as the private sector. • Initiatives must be evidence-based, sustainable and carefully coordinated to ensure there is no duplication of efforts. WORKING GROUPS The Commission formed six Working Groups to assign key tasks and objectives while retaining overall responsibility for its primary mission. The working groups consist of commissioners and other community members who may be interested in volunteering to help on specific projects, and who may have special interests or skills. These working groups are Prevention, Intervention, Assessment, Suppression, Community Mobilization and Funding and Resources. Please see the Working Groups section of this report for further information. COMPREHENSIVE GANG MODEL AND ASSESSMENT The Commission adopted the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Modell as its overarching framework to help accomplish its objectives. This model identifies a mix of strategies that were found to have a positive impact on gang problems, including mobilizing the community, providing opportunities to youth and parents, and other strategies that are part of a comprehensive system. The OJJDP Gang Model also prescribes that in order to fully understand the gang problem in a particular community and to determine the best long- term strategies and programs, a jurisdiction should conduct a comprehensive assessment. This assessment is usually conducted with a research or educational partner that has the resources and expertise to ensure the results are valid and accurate, thus helping guide decisions going forward. Consequently, EPIC z The OJJDP model, partly based on the "Sperger" model, was created in 2002 and has been implemented in several jurisdictions, including Riverside, California. EPIC Progress Report to City Council - 2008 Page 6 19D-7