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