Looking Beyond Suppression Community Strategies to Reduce Gang Violence

Looking Beyond Suppression is an important and much needed book. The chapters in this edited collection report on the results of a state-led effort in Massachusetts to address gang violence in several local communities, and describe the diverse efforts in six communities to use data driven, collaborative efforts to address gang violence. Gebo and Bond have done an excellent job providing a context for the separate site descriptions and the volume also includes a statewide evaluation of the implementation and outcome of the Comprehensive Gang Model. This book is a must read for practitioners, communities, and researchers who want to better understand the challenges and opportunities in responding to gang violence and may be involved in such efforts. -- Scott H. Decker, Arizona State University This book tells the remarkable story of a multi-city initiative across 41 Massachusetts cities and towns to address street gang activity using the Comprehensive Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Model. It vividly details how neighborhood, community, and state organizations worked together to combat gangs in a collective and balanced manner. It is a must read for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers alike. -- James C. Howell, Senior Research Associate, National Youth Gang Center First, every chapter in this book notes the dynamic nature of gangs. They are constantly changing in their composition and activities, and frequently in conflict-laden relationships with other gangs and authorities. In chapter 4, Erika Gebo relay one participating city's effort in developing and implementing a gang assessment instrument (GAI) to gauge the level of risk for gang membership on a continuum from "at risk" to "hardcore" gang members. This exercise uncovered more divergence than expected in community stakeholders' interpretation of instrument items and results Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books