LINCROFT
- The New
Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission
(JJC) hosted a training symposium today
entitled, "Educating Our Communities:
Best Practices, Strategies and Interventions
to Address Youth Gangs." The conference
was attended by New Jersey Attorney General
Peter C. Harvey and was held at the Donald
D. Warner Student Life Center on the grounds
of Brookdale County Community College
and attracted over 60 participants.
"Our
youth need to know the long term consequences
of joining a gang,” said Attorney
General Peter C. Harvey. “Our law
enforcement partners, our teachers and
community members, and our parents and
family members need to know the signs
of gang activity if we are to keep our
youth safe from gangs. Training sessions
such as this one are critical to increasing
that knowledge base. If we can convince
our youth that gangs are the wrong choice,
we can prevent them becoming adult gang
members."
In his opening remarks to the attendees,
JJC Executive Director Howard L. Beyer,
stated, "The New Jersey Juvenile
Justice Commission understands that gangs
and gang related activities impact every
community in our State. The JJC is committed
to giving our communities and their youth
the tools they need to succeed,"
said Beyer. "Together, we can make
sure that young people understand that
gang life is not the road to success,
but rather the path to destruction."
The
conference was made possible by a grant
from the Department of Education, Office
of Program Support Services. The two State
agencies have jointly identified the need
to address youth gang activities and issues
in New Jersey through the development
of a youth gang prevention and intervention
project. This training session, which
was the second in a series of three regional
conferences, provided up-to-date information
on the youth gang presence in New Jersey
and issues associated with identification
and best practices in prevention. Workshop
sessions were conducted by members of
the Juvenile Justice Commission’s
Gang Management Unit and members of the
NJ State Police Street Gang Bureau. Topics
included: Graffiti, Youth Gangs and Music;
Female Gangs; and Kid Rap.
Through the funding provided by the Department
of Education, the JJC has developed a
cutting-edge education curriculum, entitled
Phoenix, that corresponds with the New
Jersey core curriculum standards. Members
of the JJC’s Gang Management Unit
are also available to conduct workshops
in the community. One day training sessions
can be adapted to meet an audience’s
specific needs and information level.
The JJC’s Gang Prevention and Intervention
Initiative has become a highly recognized
resource throughout the State of New Jersey.
The JJC is the state agency responsible
for providing juvenile rehabilitation
and parole services. Established in 1995,
the JJC serves to coordinate services
and policies effecting delinquent youth
throughout the State. From prevention
to parole, the JJC is a partner in the
entire juvenile justice system working
with communities to help redirect the
lives of young people.