NCJ Number
162028
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1996) Pages: 279- 295
Date Published
1996
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The Neutral Zone, a community-based gang prevention and intervention program developed in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. in 1992 and now operating in several other Washington communities, was assessed with respect to its implementation and short-term effectiveness.
Abstract
The Neutral Zone offers youths at risk of joining a gang or already affiliated with a gang an attractive and safe alternative for productively spending their time. Located in a local elementary school in a residential section of the city, the Mountlake Terrace program provides youths with varied activities such as basketball, music, and movies; free food; counseling; and other essential services such as job preparation. The evaluation results suggest that this late-evening program provides viable recreational and social service activities to some 190 youths each Friday and Saturday night. Data from direct observations, focus group interviews with participants and program staff, and official crime statistics indicate that the Neutral Zone is an effective alternative to traditional law enforcement approaches, which typically rely on police crackdowns and curfews to regulate gang activity. Tables, figure, notes, and 29 references (Author abstract modified)