Comprehensive Gang Model

The Comprehensive, Communitywide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Program (also known as the Comprehensive Gang Strategy, the Comprehensive Gang Model, or the Spergel Model) is based on the assumption that gang violence is a product of social disorganization. The model presumes that gangs become chronic and serious problems in communities where key organizations are inadequately integrated and sufficient resources are not available to target gang-involved youth. To address these problems, the Comprehensive Gang Model calls for community institutions--including law enforcement, social welfare agencies, and grass roots organizations--to work together to achieve a more integrated, team-oriented approach.

The goal of this program is to reduce gang violence.

The initial evaluation of the Little Village site concluded that serious gang violence among the targeted gang members was lower than among members of comparable gangs in the area. Specifically, there were fewer arrests for serious gang crimes involving members of targeted gangs in comparison with a control group of youths from the same gangs and members of other gangs. The study also found that the project was apparently most effective in assisting older youths to significantly reduce their criminal activities (particularly violence) more quickly than would have been the case if no project services had been provided. However, the project did not appear to be effective with younger youths. Finally, residents of the target area reported significantly greater improvement in community conditions, perceptions of gang crime, and police effectiveness in dealing with gang crime.