Wednesday, 05 September 2007 01:42
Governor Schwarzenegger Continues Work on CalGRIP
In May, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
introduced CalGRIP, or the California
Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention Program, to confront the
recent dramatic increase in gangs across the state, as well as their
proliferation into suburban and rural areas. There are more than 420,000 gang members statewide says
the Governor, and they are responsible for crimes including money laundering,
extortion, narcotic production and sales, prostitution, human trafficking,
assassinations for hire, theft and counterfeiting.
In spite of an overall decrease in crime in most
California
cities since the 1990s, rates of gang-related violent crime remain steady. The
CalGRIP strategy targets more than $31 million in state and federal funding
toward local anti-gang efforts, including intervention, suppression and
prevention. The program will double funding for witness protection from the
state Victims Restitution Fund to a total of $6 million. CalGRIP will also
establish a "High
Risk Gang Offender" designation to subject offenders to special parole
conditions that limit their ability to recruit children into gangs and limit
their access to gang-infested areas. CalGRIP will also develop a list of
community organizations that rehabilitate and provide job training to former
gang members, as a resource for businesses interested in hiring them. It
redirects $1.1 million in uncommitted, discretionary Juvenile Accountability
Block Grants for programs targeting at-risk youth. Over the past several months
the Governor has met with mayors, law enforcement, faith-based and community
organizations, local officials and legislators to discuss how communities
across the state are fighting gangs and what resources they need to strengthen
their success. At every meeting the Governor heard about the same problems: lack of coordination between
state and local agencies and programs, lack of funding and lack of a
comprehensive approach to anti-gang efforts. CalGRIP is his answer to at
least work toward a solution to the problem.