The Edward Brown Foundation

Due to the recent homicides and gang violence in Portsmouth, Virginia among the City’s youth, EBF developed an OJJDP Model for a Youth Gang Prevention Initiative. The Model calls for five core strategies to be delivered through an integrated approach from a team of community agencies and organizations. The Model focuses primarily on gang members under 22 years of age.

Consistent with the Model, EBF established a Steering Committee (Committee) to mobilize community resources and advise on the direction of the program. The Committee consists of decision-makers from agencies and organizations that have an interest in or responsibility for addressing the community's gang problem. Moreover, the Committee is charged with advancing a comprehensive response in which community and faith-based organizations, law enforcement, schools, and local government agencies work to develop policy goals and strategies that use best practices to address youth violence. 

EBF has a Youth Gang Prevention program coordinator to help the EBF director to work with the Committee, execute the Implementation Plan, and serve as the primary contact for the initiative. Based on the Committee's review of the initial data assessment they developed an implementation plan that will focus resources and outreach in the target area where gangs are committing the most violent crime.

The remaining steps of the Model include selecting agencies to serve on the Intervention Team and teaming with Street Outreach Workers. The Intervention Team manages gang-involved youth to address their individual circumstances. The Team creates a case management plan for each gang member to receive services, while simultaneously addressing social deficits and negative behaviors. This approach helps gang-involved youth leave gangs and facilitates positive change within the community.