Evaluation of Indianapolis Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative Prevention/Intervention Programming, 2009-2010

Abstract

This report focuses on an assessment of the prevention/ intervention initiatives for the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) grant to the city of Indianapolis through 2010. CAGI prevention/intervention programming in Indianapolis was to provide services to ganginvolved or at-risk youth in five target zip codes that were designated as high crime areas in the CAGI proposal to DOJ. Prevention activities targeted children ages 7 to 13 years, and intervention approaches focused on youth ages 14 to 18 years, including both in-school and after-school programs. Five local organizations were initially selected to provide CAGI prevention/intervention programming services. A sixth was promoted from a subcontractor to an independent subgrantee in the second year of funding. Three of these programs were community-based providers, two were evening-reporting programs for court-ordered youth, and one was a school-based program. These programs varied dramatically in goals, characteristics, and definitions of success.