Date of Award
10-1-1991
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
David Flight
Abstract
The first segment of this report describes a program for improving the awareness of youth gangs in our schools and in the community. The program was designed to team school personnel with law enforcement agencies and other allied groups in a systematic plan to increase the awareness of parents, school staff, and members of the community of youth gangs and their activities in Broward County, Florida. In a survey of teachers and administrators during a Youth Gang Conference which was held in February of 1989, it was revealed that the majority of the participants indicated a need to be trained in gang awareness and identification. Individuals with knowledge of the youth gang phenomenon have pointed out that one of the major impediments to dealing with this menace is the lack of awareness of the magnitude of the problem on the part of school personnel, parents, and members of the community. In close relationship to this is the fact that school personnel and members of the community, many times, deny the existence of youth gangs in our neighborhoods and schools. The awareness aspect of the program described in this report brought together the cooperative strengths of community agencies, law enforcement groups. and the schools in order for them to address the presence of youth gangs in the Broward County community. As a result of this practicum intervention, community agencies, parents, and school personnel became aware of and acknowledged that youth gangs are in our midst. The Juvenile Services Board of Broward County voted to allocate funds for this program and The School Board of Broward County, Florida hired a youth gang liaison coordinator. Additionally, the high schools involved in this project developed specific action plans which assisted them in avoiding many of the disruptions associated with youth gang activities.