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School failure/dropout/underachievement
Unemployment
Incarceration
Desensitized to violence (beatings, injuries, stabbings, shootings, killings)
Loss of freedom (have to do gangs bidding)
Break up family
Innocent people hurt
Adverse impact on family
Lose friends
Interferes with career options
Shunned by neighbors
Singled out as a troublemaker

 Pool together resources and areas of expertise.
 Knowledge is key; it gives a more promising future and saves school districts and taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
 See our at-risk students as a resource to invest in, rather than as a drain on the system.
 Take proactive steps to keep our children engaged in learning and out of the criminal justice system.

 Established in summer of 1996.
 The Task Force supports the development and coordination of strategies that address issues of youth crime and violence by facilitating communication and collaboration within Lehigh County.
 Participants include Police, Judges, Education,
Community representatives, Public Defender, District
Attorney, Human Services, etc.

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Operation Night Light
Information Sharing Legislation
Serious Habitual Offender Program
Gang Awareness Conferences
Anti-Truancy Initiatives
Mentoring Conferences
Route 222 Anti- Gang Initiative
Gang Prevention Efforts
Next steps: Stronger attention on Gang Intervention with focus on employment and vocational skills.

Gangs
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Acres Production 2
BBD
Bloods
Cash Money Boys
Crips
Cumberland St.
DDP-
Dominicans Don’t Play
Fellaset
Goonies
Gordon St. Boys
HB-Handsome Boys
HBG-Hood Bangers
Latin Kings
Los solidos
MS 13
ND 12 th St.
Netas
Taliban
Trinitarios
Extremist Groups
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Keystone State Skinheads
Racist Skinhead
National Socialist Movement
Neo-Nazi
The Creativity Alliance
Neo-Nazi
The Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ
Black Separatist

 Over 25 Community Based programs were funded for nearly 2 years under this Initiative.
 Funding ended in summer of 2009.
 Lehigh County Gang Prevention and Intervention committee.
 Build community supports to combat gang activity.

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Increase academic performance
Increase school attendance
Promote involvement in pro social activities
Develop awareness of the reality of the gang life style
Increase utilization of youth serving organizations
Improve youth’s behavior in the community
Recruit assistance and involvement from the community
Reduce Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System
Improve family involvement and relationship

 Each year the economy loses
$ 33 Billion due to drop outs.
 If a 6 th grade student fails
English, Math or any other two courses, they have a significant risk of not graduating.
% of dropouts gone in 9th grade
% of dropouts gone in 10 th grade
% of dropouts gone in 11 th grade
% of dropouts gone in 12 th grade
35%
27%
19%
19%
 If we increase the male graduation rate by 5% there will be an estimated $4.9 billion in crime related savings.
US graduation rate
PA graduation rate
70%
77.6%
Students of color graduated in 4 years
50%

County School Districts School
Population
Lehigh
Northampton
Carbon
Berks
Schuylkill
Total
26,248
22,093
4,491
32,830
8,967
94,629
No. of
Drop
Outs
639
302
37
698
181
1,857
% of Total
Population
2.43%
1.37%
.82%
2.13%
2.02%
8.77%
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Approximately 44% of youth drop out for unknown reasons according to
PDE for 2009-2010.
According to PSEA the average state tuition reimbursement is between
$2000-$6000 per school district.
If 25% drop out because of gang/delinquent behavior the lost revenue for the 5 school districts could amount to
$2,785,000

 According to the publication, New Evidence on the Monetary Value of Saving a High Risk Youth (December 2007) Vanderbilt Law and
Economics Research Paper No 08-07, 1.7 to 2.3 million taxpayer money is saved by keeping ONE high risk youth in school and crime/drug free.
$1,700,000 x 464 = $788,800,000 in taxpayer savings
 The National Gang Center estimates that 34.5 percent of all cities, suburban areas, towns, and rural counties (more than 3,500 jurisdictions served by city and county law enforcement agencies) experiences gang problems in 2009.

Out of district Alternative School Placement is an option used by many districts alike, however the expense associated with such programs can be costly for the home district.
Average Alternative Placement Cost
25% of total Dropouts 116
Program cost
No. of School Days
$105/day
181
Cost per School Year
Misc Cost (Transportation)
$2,204,580
$10,000/ school yr
 Per day rate is based on average cost of four alternative placement programs in the Lehigh Valley

 Schedule meetings between probation, SRO’s, community agencies, and schools.
 Create a formal process for referring students to law enforcement and community agencies.
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Appoint a school district point person for information sharing.
(Director of Security, SRO’s, School Administrators)
 Establish a formal process to report and catalogue all gang suspected activity. (pictures, student lists, anonymous tips)
 Use SRO’s and community officers (CO’s) to talk with students in classrooms.
 Encourage school boards to adopt policies that help improve communication.
 Establish or participate in a focused community task force involving all stakeholders. (Included churches and local businesses).

 School point people will have access to our wiki space and other recommended sites.
 An active and updated list of school point people should be distributed across counties.
 Establish a set meeting schedule for point people, SRO’s and CO’s across school districts and municipalities.
 School districts must closely examine how they can share gang programs, staff and resources with other districts. (speakers, materials, joint grants, & information)

 Set a budget for professional development on gangs and commit to specific programming annually.
 Include community members and service providers in professional development to share information and decrease cost.
 Professional development should go beyond “Gang 101 –
Identification”. It should encourage community activism, student mentorship, and school involvement.
 Professional development should include the OJJDP’s
Comprehensive Gang Model and a Gang Risk Survey

 Define the term “gang/extremist group” in school district policy and create a detailed procedure for addressing the issue.
 Establish a system of communication for policy change and recommendation from building level staff to central administration.
 Use a community task force and existing agencies/programs to obtain data to support policy enforcement or change.
 Encourage school board members and school administrators to analyze district policies or practices that discourage community agencies from assisting.

 Utilize effective prevention programs. (GRIPE, GREAT)
 Create and support active afterschool and summer programs to keep children engaged. (Boys & Girls Clubs, 21 st Century Community Service Centers, Kids of Character, Pre-Apprentice Program)
 Recognize and reward students involved in these programs to maximize use.
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Promote positive behavior, character development, independent living skills, and employment skills.
Utilize speakers who have “turned their life around” and hold follow up meetings to discuss issues.
 Provide intensive mentorship and leadership development programs
(Multicultural Student Leadership Conference)
 Hold family programming (family fun night, movies, carnivals)
 Maintain an active list of community services and points of contact.
 Create a referral based system for community services to assist families.

 Utilize databases to research college and career options
(careercruising.com).
 Post and publicize college scholarships, grants, and loan programs.
 Hire a coordinator or use guidance staff for personnel.
 Attend college/career fairs in the area.
 Schedule college admissions staff, community professionals, and military recruiters to talk with students.
 Coordinate internship and job shadow experiences with local employers.
 Post local job opportunities for students in the center

collaborative and cost-effective
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Establish a meeting schedule with point people
Improve gang/extremist group related communication within and between school districts
Improve collaboration with law enforcement and the community
Examine systems to share information: wiki space, websites, speakers, programs, etc.
Examine professional development within school districts
Identify and publicize positive prevention and intervention programs for implementation to reduce dropouts and gang activity

Greetings! The Anti Gang Education Coalition of Eastern PA is a coalition of public school teachers, administrators and law enforcement officials. Their mission is to create awareness and decrease gang/extremist group activity in schools through professional collaboration focused on information sharing, professional development and intervention recommendations.
The Anti Gang Education Coalition of Eastern PA is presenting at PSEA’s Eastern Region Leadership Conference at
Bear Creek Mountain Resort on March 10, 2012. In an effort to better understand our audience, please complete the following survey by Tuesday, March 5, 2012. Results of the survey will be shared at the conference.
Thank you!
Which setting best describes the area where your school district is located?
Urban
Rural
Suburban
What building level do you teach?
Elementary School
Middle School
High School

What is your district’s student population?
1,000 or less
1,001-2,500
2,501-5,000
5,001-10,000
10,000+
Where are you employed? (drop down menu of school districts)
Other (please specify)
Do you believe gangs are a problem in your school?
Yes
No
Not sure
If you answered yes to question 5, which gangs are present?
Acres Production 2 Keystone State Skinheads
BBD
Cash Money Boys
Latin Kings
Los Solidos
Crips
Cumberland St.
DDP-
Dominicans Don’t Play
Fellaset
Goonies
MS 13
National Socialist Movement (neo-Nazi)
ND 12 th St.
Netas
Taliban
Gordon St. Boys
HB-Handsome Boys
HBG-Hood Bangers
Other:
The Creativity Alliance
The Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ (Black Separtist)
Trinitarios

What signs do you see that lead you to believe that gang members are present?
Behavior changes
Graffiti in the neighborhood
Increase in physical confrontations or threats of physical confrontations
Language-uncommon terms or phrases
Milling-gathering/hanging out especially where there is an audience
Right/left rule apparel worn in a specific manner – either right or left
Students flashing hand signals
Symbols on students’ notebooks, folders, etc.
Tattoos
Uses of street language and nicknames
Wearing colors (bandanas, beads, etc.)
All of the Above
Other
What types of problems do gang members present in your school?
Truancy
Classroom discipline
Classroom disruptions
Drugs
Violence victimization/intimidation
Other
When are gang related activities occurring?
Before school
Lunch
During school
After school

Where are gang related activities occurring?
School grounds-during school
School grounds-school sponsored events (i.e. dances, sporting events, etc.)
Community parks
Other
What issues do you think contribute to gang activity?
Poverty
Drug/Alcohol
Single parent homes
Lack of parental supervision
Family involved in gangs
Other
What school based services are available?
SAP
Child study
Crisis team
Disciplinary
SRO
Other

Finish the statement —Gang activity in my school is . . .
Increasing
Decreasing
Remaining about the same
Not sure
Non existent
What are strategies your school uses to combat gang problems?
Prevention
Intervention
Suppression
Comprehensive
Other
Name ONE strategy you wish your district would employ to combat gang problems.
Thank you!

1. Recognize the problem
2. Gang 101 professional development
3. Identify school district contact person/coordinator/point person
4. Needs assessment—overall including gang related behavior
(customize for parents, student and school staff)
5. Framework presentation

1.
Recognition of problem
2.
Identify school district contact person/ coordinator/point person
3.
Gang 101 professional development
4.
Needs assessment-overall including gang related behavior
(customize for parents, students and school staff)
5.
Framework presentation

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Students
Parents and local residents
Teachers/union
Law enforcement-district magistrates, SROs, Juvenile Probation, etc.
PTAs/PTOs
Administrators-Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Transportation Supervisors,
Building Level Administrators
School Boards
Neighboring school districts
Local colleges
Local business owners, Chamber of Commerce
Community agencies, i.e. Children & Youth/neighborhood centers/faith based organizations
Mayor’s Office, City Councils
State Representatives

KEY PLAYERS
Students
Parents/families/local residents
Teachers/union
SOLUTIONS
 Raising awareness and providing alternatives to being involved in a gang
 Use school clubs and organizations to advertise, i.e.
SADD
 Use social media
 Use students’ influence
 Incentives, i.e. raffles, homework passes, etc.
 Invites at parent nights, sport activities, etc.
 Public service announcement
 Publications, i.e. poster, brochure, fast facts, statistics
 Auto phone calls
 Insert with report card
 Open computer lab
 Committee work
 Student leadership
 Direct vocal administration buy-in
 Comp time/incentives/direct benefits
 Model group involvement
 Safe classrooms/schools

KEY PLAYERS SOLUTIONS
Law enforcement-district magistrates, SROs, Probation
Officers, Juvenile Probation, Police Departments, etc.
PTAs/PTOs
Administrators, Superintendents, Assistant
Superintendents, Transportation Supervisors, Building level administrators
School Boards
Neighboring school districts and Intermediate Units
 Reduction in workload
 Meet with high level individuals and targeted departments
 Networking
 Unifying cause
 Invite them to professional development
 Show program sustainability
 Community and elected official acknowledgment and support
 Collect data and evidence
 Key teachers and union reps meet with Superintendent
 Community support
 Parent support
 Safety committee
 Collect data
 Student testimony
 Resource sharing
 Success stories
 Use of county meetings
 DAs meet quarterly with Superintendents

KEY PLAYERS SOLUTIONS
Local colleges
Local business owners, Chamber of Commerce
Community agencies, i.e. Children & Youth/neighborhood centers/faith based organizations
Local Elected Officials
All key players
 Increase enrollment
 Student activist groups and college security
 Colleges provide mentoring/tutoring
 Colleges recognize involvement
 Provides opportunities for students to get involved
 Clean up communities
 Offer job training/mentoring opportunities
 Reduction in crime
 Foster relationships with community
 Share meeting structure and access to populations
 Use of community school model
 Show sustainability
 Attend meetings; crime watch
 Improve public safety
 Impact on constituents-less taxpayer $ towards programs, etc.
 State Police and Attorney General’s Office provide programs for free or little cost
 Share resources

 Lack of community involvement
 Limited funding
 Gaining trust of community members
 Fear of being targeted/retaliation
 Event attendance-difficulty rallying community participation
 Communication (lack of resources to spread the message)
 Community Education
 Community empowerment-combatting perception that we are powerless

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Venue location
Captive audience
Outreach services-bilingual, technical language, health services, mental health services
Established community/neighborhood networks
Established school model and family centers
Student community service opportunities-clubs and group
Potential partnerships

 Price and budget
 Targeted age
 Research based
 Results of needs assessment
 Success rate
 Compatibility with existing school district initiatives
 Level of involvement with gangs (prevention, intervention, suppression)
 Skill sets of key players
 Professional development needs

 Student involvement in school activities
 School wide surveys-improvement in area of perceived safety
 Grades and attendance
 Dropout rates
 Number of school infractions and crime in the community
 Testimonials of program success

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Lehigh County Network of Care: http://lehigh.pa.networkofcare.org/mh/home/index.cfm
Direct to Network of Care resource directory : http://lehigh.pa.networkofcare.org/mh/resource/find.cfm
Community Services for Children: Community Resource Book http://www.cscinc.org/docs/community_resource_booklet_2009-2010.pdf
Valley Wide Help – Online resource database http://www.irissoft.com/vwhp/
Valley Wide Help printed resource directory can be purchased at the
“American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley”
Allentown Youth Source www.allentownyouthsource.org
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention www.ojjdp.gov
National Gang Center http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/

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Harrison Bailey III
Assistant Principal
Parkland High School hbailey@beth.k12.pa.us
610-351-5600
 Robert H. Creveling
PSEA Eastern Region Field Director rcreveling@psea.org
800-322-9032 or 610-391-0835
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Andrew DeAngelo
Retired, Deputy Chief, County of Lehigh
Juvenile Probation Department ajd07@aol.com
484-226-4609
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Jena Brodhead
President, Easton Area Education
Association jbrodhead@eastonteachers.org
610-730-7171
Vivian Robledo-Shorey
Supervisor of Student and Community Engagement
Bethlehem Area School District vrobledoshorey@beth.k12.pa.us
610-861-0500
Jose Rosado
Allentown School District
Director of Community & Student
Services rosadojo@allentownsd.org
484-765-4000
 Maureen Foster
PSEA Staff Associate mfoster@psea.org
800-322-9032 or 610-391-0835
Presenters: Harrison Bailey, III, Vivian Robledo-Shorey, and Andy DeAngelo