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Division of Criminal Justice |
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NOVEMBER 16, 2001 New Jersey Announces
Gang Suppression Initiative |
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TRENTON - Attorney General John J. Farmer, Jr. and Division of Criminal Justice Director Kathryn Flicker today announced that law enforcement officers are stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts to suppress gang activity and recruitment measures and to help educate parents and teenagers about prevention. With gang activity and recruitment increasing throughout the country, law enforcement officials addressed approximately 1,000 high school journalists about the seriousness of gangs in New Jersey, during a Safe Schools and Communities Conference held at the Trenton War Memorial. The goal of the program was to enlist the young journalists in helping to spread the word about efforts to stem gang recruitment. Law enforcement officials said that more than 10,000 people are involved in gang-related activity in New Jersey. "The objective of this initiative is twofold," Farmer explained. "First, we want parents to know that gangs are extremely dangerous. A significant proportion of gang members are involved in drug sales, and 20 percent of all homicides in New Jersey are gang-related. And second, we want our young people to know about the serious consequences that gang members face when they engage in criminal activity." "Parents need to know that gang recruiters often look for kids who feel unloved, who have little to no parental guidance, who have low self-esteem and who want to feel like they belong," said Director Flicker. "'Our message to parents is simple: stay on top of your kids, show an interest in what they are doing, know who your kids' friends are, encourage them to get involved in after-school activities, talk to them about your values; and let them know you love them." As part of the program, Flicker announced $1 million in grant funding to county prosecutor offices where gang presence is most prevalent. These new grants will be for gang suppression initiatives that will be coordinated with local police departments. An additional $1 million in grant funding will be provided to police departments throughout the state to create safer school and community initiatives. Students will also be able to apply for mini grants provided by the Secretary of State's Office and Division of Criminal justice. The mini grants are designed to help students prevent gangs in their schools and communities. Flicker also noted that starting today more than 270 billboards and 600 bus transit ads, alerting parents about gang prevention, will begin appearing in areas where law enforcement will be working to suppress gang activity. The advertising schedule will consist of two flights -- mid-November through mid-January and mid-March through mid-May. In addition, beginning next month, the Department of Law and Public Safety will broadcast a radio announcement with a similar educational message to parents about gang prevention. The Safe Schools and Communities Initiative is designed to promote safety in our schools, on our streets and in our neighborhoods. The Department of Law and Public Safety is joining with the Departments of Corrections, Education, State and Transportation to implement a series of programs and activities aimed at addressing safety concerns throughout the state. |
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