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Gang Prevention Program

The Gang Prevention Program was started in October of 1999 through a grant funded by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The program is designed to provide educational and awareness programs to Albany’s communities regarding youth gangs.

The program has surpassed its goals of attracting the city’s youth and has swelled to over 700 kids as of July 1, 2005. Providing positive structured activities along with the necessary counseling, the GPP helps kids to handle the negative peer pressures they encounter on the streets and aids them in achieving their personal goals and dreams. Utilizing community resources that already exist along with providing numerous alternatives the GPP offers kids opportunities to realize their potential and build a positive foundation for the future.

An example of some of the program highlights:

  • Providing tutors for city youths (ages 8 to 18) in need of assistance with their schoolwork. Tutoring over 140 children at various sites, tutors are provided by the College of St. Rose and SUNY at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College and numerous volunteers.
  • Working with the Albany City School District to educate the staff and provide counseling for at-risk children. Held educational programs for 4th, 5th and 6th grade children at the following schools; Giffen Elementary, School #16, School #18, School #20 and School #26. Also at middle schools: Philip Livingston Magnet Academy and Hackett Middle School along with alternative schools MAPS/TOPS, A.E.S.P.P., New Covenant Charter School and the Sunshine School. Worked with Albany Police D.A.R.E. officer to present program on youth gangs to middle school children. Provided programs for health classes at Albany High School and Harriet Gibbons high School, grades 9 to 12. Also worked with numerous school districts in New Jersey and throughout New York State.
  • Presented gang awareness seminars to administration and staff at the following schools: School #18, School #16, School #20, School #26, School #27, Philip Scuyler Elementary, Arbor Hill Elementary, Hackett Middle School, Livingston Middle School, Harriet Gibbons High School, Albany High School and the Albany Vocational Center. Presentations were also shown to the PTA organizations at Hackett and Philip Livingston, New Covenant Charter School, Parson’s, St. Anne’s Home for girls, along with Watervliet High School, Schenectady High School, Colonie High School, Colombia High School, the administration for the Lansingburgh, North and South Troy School Districts and the Passaic, New Jersey Board of Education.
  • Presented gang awareness seminars to the numerous agencies, including: St. Peters Ambulatory Services, the Albany County Health Department, Albany County Mental Health Department, Parsons School, LaSalle School, The Charleton School in Saratoga, St.Annes Group Home, CDTA, Project Equinox, Project Strive, Albany Social Services Department, the New York State Police, the Albany County Probation Department, the Schenectady County Probation Department, Community Maternity Services, NYS Children and Family Services, Albany Citizens Council on Alcoholism and Other Chemical Dependencies, St. Catherine’s Pastoral Center, F.I.R.S.T. Program, Hope House, the NYS Attorney Generals Office, the NYS Counselors Association, the Center for Dispute Resolution, the Schenectady Carver Community Center, the New York State Higher Education Department, St. Peter’s S.P.A.R.K. program, the Albany County Secure Detention Facility, the Whitney Young Health Center, the OASIS Program, the NYS EAP, Northeast Planning, the RPI College Department of Safety, CDPC Outreach, the City of Albany Department of Youth and Recreation Services along with various neighborhood associations throughout the city of Albany.
  • Provide monthly prison trips with students to Greene Correctional Facility and Fishkill Correctional Facility for the Youth Assistance Program. This program first involved fifteen Harriet Gibbons High School students who voluntarily sign-up for the program each month. The program has since attracted the attention of over 125 students to date. The program has been expanded to include the TOPS/MAPS programs and Livingston Magnet Academy, on the request of the Administrators.

The program, entitled “Choices”