Neighborhood Education, Mobilization, and Organization for Juvenile Crime Prevention

Abstract

From 1981 to 1986, a federally sponsored research and development program to prevent violent juvenile crime was implemented through neighborhood-based organizations in the Bronx, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and San Diego. Its goal was to reduce such crime in specific locations through resident mobilization to strengthen neighborhood cohesion and make local institutions more responsive. A conceptual framework was based on social control and learning theories. Each local version of the program involved an ongoing needs assessment through which neighborhood resident councils planned and revised their efforts. Each local program was required to include violent-crisis intervention, mediation, family support networking, and youth skills development. After 36 months of planning and implementation, serious juvenile crime decreased in three of the six target neighborhoods, compared to their respective cities. Most of the programs developed means of financial support to carry on all or part of the effort after federal funding ended. Community-led programs that emphasize advocacy and institutional mediation appear to be more effective than traditional social services in mobilizing residents to prevent juvenile crime and violence.