Gang Awareness Education Intervention Programs (GAEIP)

FCR Ministries targets kids from elementary school age concentrating on 12 to 21 years of age including all races, genders and levels of income, but focusing on schools located in lower income areas. Full Circle Refuge educates church and community leaders, parents, teachers, and students about the consequences of gang involvement and the benefits of making good choices.

FCR Ministries serves the community by going into schools and presenting Gang Awareness Prevention and Intervention Education programs about gangs present in our area, the signs of kids who are at-risk, identifying who may be involved, and what we can do to make the community a safer place to live.

This intensive training equips churches, youth organizations, schools and volunteers with a knowledgeable background and awareness of the characteristics, habits, behaviors, and customs of gangs known in America today.

It is an informative, interactive course with expert instruction that covers components such as intervention and prevention, while providing an in depth knowledge of the current trends of criminal street level gangs and other gang types. Participants leave with a greater understanding of the gang lifestyle, its appeal to some youth and actions to curb the trend.

Topics addressed include:
 Identifying warning signs in the community.
 Ideas on how to work together as a community to deter gang related activity.
 Current information on contemporary gang trends, gang identifiers and school violence issues.
 Identify intervention and prevention strategies and how to develop them.
 Identify risk and protective factors.
 Differentiate between gangs.
Workshop goals:
 Educate the community about pressures teens encounter today.
 Discourage teens and youth from gang involvement.
 Help teens resist peer pressure and make good decisions.
 Encourage teens to abstain from unsafe and unproductive lifestyles that may result in imprisonment.

Components of this program: life skills training, goal setting, decision-making, conflict resolution and self-esteem issues.

The curriculum for the sessions includes: team-building skills, listening skills, negotiations skills, and violence prevention.

Goals and Expectations: reduce recidivism rates, encourage family restoration, reduce truancy and chronic absences from school, prepare youth for self sufficiency and academic success, develop work & social skills, terminate gang affiliation, demonstrate an environment that respects and honors diversity, and structure resources for long-term success.

The program is designed to address many of the increasing social needs, that at-risk youth face which lead to affiliation and/or membership in gangs. The expected outcome from participation in the program is that participants will:

• Express a greater commitment to stay in school
• Have increased self-esteem
• Develop greater relationships with family
• Demonstrate less risk taking behavior
• Demonstrate a greater sense of belonging
• Demonstrate increased pro-social involvement
• Develop a greater resiliency to avoid gang membership

Rev. Devon Harris will the opportunity to update Harlem Baptist, a supporting church of Full  Circle Refuge, with the true message of Transformation of At-risk youth in our communities. 

Devon and The GAEIP Team will be presenting a “Message of Change” for young minds about the limited life of a Gangster!

Rev. Devon Harris will have the opportunity to share with Community Bible Church – Aiken SC,  the true message of Transformation of At-risk youth in our communities. 

Objectives: Educate the community about pressures teens encounter today; Discourage teens and youth from gang involvement; Help teens resist peer pressure and make good decisions;  Encourage teens to abstain from unsafe and unproductive lifestyles that may result in imprisonment.

The Consequences of Gang Membership
The consequences of gangs — and the burden they place on the law enforcement and health systems in our communities — are significant. Homicide is the second leading cause of death for American adolescents and young adults, accounting for an average of 13 deaths every day among 15- to 24-year-olds. However, the number of violent deaths tells only part of the story. More than 700,000 young people are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. for assault-related injuries every year.
Although kids in gangs are far more likely than kids not involved in gangs to be both victims and perpetrators of violence,the risks go far beyond crime and violence. Gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse and high-risk sexual behavior and to experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment.

Why Prevention?

The large majority of youth who join a gang do so at a very early age: between 11 and 15 years old, with the peak years between 13 and 15.8 Therefore, early prevention is key. However, local, state and federal budgets in many arenas — including public health, criminal justice, education and community services — are currently addressing the aftermath of gang-joining on individual youth and their families, schools and communities.
Fortunately, we know that many early prevention programs are effective and provide taxpayers with significantly more benefits than costs. Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, for example, has written about the economic benefits of targeting high-risk children before they start kindergarten.

Researchers at the Washington State Institute for Public Policy have done cost-benefit analyses of prevention programs that show significant effects on a range of outcomes, including crime, educational attainment, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy and public assistance.10 Many programs have substantial returns that far exceed the costs. Hence, the focus of Changing Course is on the early prevention of gang-joining. (CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

The Attractions of Gangs

Carl S. Taylor and Pamela R. Smith argue that policymakers and practitioners must understand that, to some kids, the positive aspects of being in a gang seem to outweigh the potentially life-destroying consequences. In their chapter in Changing Course, Dr. Taylor and Ms. Smith discuss:

Economics: Today’s economic reality can often leave teenagers out of the labor market — and the promise of material reward is a significant attraction for kids who join gangs.19–22 For many young people who feel disconnected from the American Dream, say Taylor and Smith, the economic opportunities of gang membership offer an acceptable alternative to a low-wage job in the legitimate employment arena.

A Support System and Sense of Belonging: Youth who feel marginalized, rejected or ignored in the family, school or church may join a gang to fill a need for support. Some youth join a gang for a sense of belonging, viewing the gang as a substitute or auxiliary family.“I was in the gang,” said Yusuf Shakur, now the director of Detroit’s Urban Youth Leadership Group, whom Taylor and Smith interviewed for Changing Course. “What lured me was … there was guys who made me feel like I was something special. They were my brothers; they looked out for me. If you want change, you have to compete with that fact.”

Relationships With Family and Friends: For some, the appeal is that a friend or family member is already in the gang.Youth who have older family members who are in a gang may feel particularly motivated to join.

Protection: There is incontrovertible evidence that kids in a gang are more likely to be exposed to violence than kids who do not belong to a gang. However, that truth does not resonate with many kids who join a gang, believing that it protects them from violence in school or the community. Some youth also seek the protection of a gang because of problems at home.20 Girls who experience physical or sexual abuse at home may believe that being in a gang offers them protection.

Status: For at-risk adolescents, gangs can be seen as a way to increase their status among peers. For these youth, joining a gang can also be regarded as a way to get respect, freedom and independence — all self-empowerment factors that may be missing from their lives.

Outlaw Mentality: Many kids — not only those at risk for gang membership — rebel against traditional societal values. For some, running with an organization of gangsters, hoodlums, thugs or banditos seems to be tak- ing a stand against society. Taylor and Smith argue that it is important to understand the image of an “outlaw culture” during the cognitive development stage of adolescence.

(CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

Objectives: Educate the community about pressures teens encounter today; Discourage teens and youth from gang involvement; Help teens resist peer pressure and make good decisions;  Encourage teens to abstain from unsafe and unproductive lifestyles that may result in imprisonment.

The Consequences of Gang Membership
The consequences of gangs — and the burden they place on the law enforcement and health systems in our communities — are significant. Homicide is the second leading cause of death for American adolescents and young adults, accounting for an average of 13 deaths every day among 15- to 24-year-olds. However, the number of violent deaths tells only part of the story. More than 700,000 young people are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. for assault-related injuries every year.
Although kids in gangs are far more likely than kids not involved in gangs to be both victims and perpetrators of violence,the risks go far beyond crime and violence. Gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse and high-risk sexual behavior and to experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment.

Why Prevention?

The large majority of youth who join a gang do so at a very early age: between 11 and 15 years old, with the peak years between 13 and 15.8 Therefore, early prevention is key. However, local, state and federal budgets in many arenas — including public health, criminal justice, education and community services — are currently addressing the aftermath of gang-joining on individual youth and their families, schools and communities.
Fortunately, we know that many early prevention programs are effective and provide taxpayers with significantly more benefits than costs. Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, for example, has written about the economic benefits of targeting high-risk children before they start kindergarten.

Researchers at the Washington State Institute for Public Policy have done cost-benefit analyses of prevention programs that show significant effects on a range of outcomes, including crime, educational attainment, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy and public assistance.10 Many programs have substantial returns that far exceed the costs. Hence, the focus of Changing Course is on the early prevention of gang-joining. (CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

The Attractions of Gangs

Carl S. Taylor and Pamela R. Smith argue that policymakers and practitioners must understand that, to some kids, the positive aspects of being in a gang seem to outweigh the potentially life-destroying consequences. In their chapter in Changing Course, Dr. Taylor and Ms. Smith discuss:

Economics: Today’s economic reality can often leave teenagers out of the labor market — and the promise of material reward is a significant attraction for kids who join gangs.19–22 For many young people who feel disconnected from the American Dream, say Taylor and Smith, the economic opportunities of gang membership offer an acceptable alternative to a low-wage job in the legitimate employment arena.

A Support System and Sense of Belonging: Youth who feel marginalized, rejected or ignored in the family, school or church may join a gang to fill a need for support. Some youth join a gang for a sense of belonging, viewing the gang as a substitute or auxiliary family.“I was in the gang,” said Yusuf Shakur, now the director of Detroit’s Urban Youth Leadership Group, whom Taylor and Smith interviewed for Changing Course. “What lured me was … there was guys who made me feel like I was something special. They were my brothers; they looked out for me. If you want change, you have to compete with that fact.”

Relationships With Family and Friends: For some, the appeal is that a friend or family member is already in the gang.Youth who have older family members who are in a gang may feel particularly motivated to join.

Protection: There is incontrovertible evidence that kids in a gang are more likely to be exposed to violence than kids who do not belong to a gang. However, that truth does not resonate with many kids who join a gang, believing that it protects them from violence in school or the community. Some youth also seek the protection of a gang because of problems at home.20 Girls who experience physical or sexual abuse at home may believe that being in a gang offers them protection.

Status: For at-risk adolescents, gangs can be seen as a way to increase their status among peers. For these youth, joining a gang can also be regarded as a way to get respect, freedom and independence — all self-empowerment factors that may be missing from their lives.

Outlaw Mentality: Many kids — not only those at risk for gang membership — rebel against traditional societal values. For some, running with an organization of gangsters, hoodlums, thugs or banditos seems to be tak- ing a stand against society. Taylor and Smith argue that it is important to understand the image of an “outlaw culture” during the cognitive development stage of adolescence.

(CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

Objectives: Educate the community about pressures teens encounter today; Discourage teens and youth from gang involvement; Help teens resist peer pressure and make good decisions;  Encourage teens to abstain from unsafe and unproductive lifestyles that may result in imprisonment.

The Consequences of Gang Membership
The consequences of gangs — and the burden they place on the law enforcement and health systems in our communities — are significant. Homicide is the second leading cause of death for American adolescents and young adults, accounting for an average of 13 deaths every day among 15- to 24-year-olds. However, the number of violent deaths tells only part of the story. More than 700,000 young people are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. for assault-related injuries every year.
Although kids in gangs are far more likely than kids not involved in gangs to be both victims and perpetrators of violence,the risks go far beyond crime and violence. Gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse and high-risk sexual behavior and to experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment.

Why Prevention?

The large majority of youth who join a gang do so at a very early age: between 11 and 15 years old, with the peak years between 13 and 15. Therefore, early prevention is key. However, local, state and federal budgets in many arenas — including public health, criminal justice, education and community services — are currently addressing the aftermath of gang-joining on individual youth and their families, schools and communities.
Fortunately, we know that many early prevention programs are effective and provide taxpayers with significantly more benefits than costs. Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, for example, has written about the economic benefits of targeting high-risk children before they start kindergarten.

Researchers at the Washington State Institute for Public Policy have done cost-benefit analyses of prevention programs that show significant effects on a range of outcomes, including crime, educational attainment, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy and public assistance.10 Many programs have substantial returns that far exceed the costs. Hence, the focus of Changing Course is on the early prevention of gang-joining. (CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

The Attractions of Gangs

Carl S. Taylor and Pamela R. Smith argue that policymakers and practitioners must understand that, to some kids, the positive aspects of being in a gang seem to outweigh the potentially life-destroying consequences. In their chapter in Changing Course, Dr. Taylor and Ms. Smith discuss:

Economics: Today’s economic reality can often leave teenagers out of the labor market — and the promise of material reward is a significant attraction for kids who join gangs.19–22 For many young people who feel disconnected from the American Dream, say Taylor and Smith, the economic opportunities of gang membership offer an acceptable alternative to a low-wage job in the legitimate employment arena.

A Support System and Sense of Belonging: Youth who feel marginalized, rejected or ignored in the family, school or church may join a gang to fill a need for support. Some youth join a gang for a sense of belonging, viewing the gang as a substitute or auxiliary family.“I was in the gang,” said Yusuf Shakur, now the director of Detroit’s Urban Youth Leadership Group, whom Taylor and Smith interviewed for Changing Course. “What lured me was … there was guys who made me feel like I was something special. They were my brothers; they looked out for me. If you want change, you have to compete with that fact.”

Relationships With Family and Friends: For some, the appeal is that a friend or family member is already in the gang.Youth who have older family members who are in a gang may feel particularly motivated to join.

Protection: There is incontrovertible evidence that kids in a gang are more likely to be exposed to violence than kids who do not belong to a gang. However, that truth does not resonate with many kids who join a gang, believing that it protects them from violence in school or the community. Some youth also seek the protection of a gang because of problems at home.20 Girls who experience physical or sexual abuse at home may believe that being in a gang offers them protection.

Status: For at-risk adolescents, gangs can be seen as a way to increase their status among peers. For these youth, joining a gang can also be regarded as a way to get respect, freedom and independence — all self-empowerment factors that may be missing from their lives.

Outlaw Mentality: Many kids — not only those at risk for gang membership — rebel against traditional societal values. For some, running with an organization of gangsters, hoodlums, thugs or banditos seems to be tak- ing a stand against society. Taylor and Smith argue that it is important to understand the image of an “outlaw culture” during the cognitive development stage of adolescence.

(CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

Objectives: Educate the community about pressures teens encounter today; Discourage teens and youth from gang involvement; Help teens resist peer pressure and make good decisions;  Encourage teens to abstain from unsafe and unproductive lifestyles that may result in imprisonment.

The Consequences of Gang Membership
The consequences of gangs — and the burden they place on the law enforcement and health systems in our communities — are significant. Homicide is the second leading cause of death for American adolescents and young adults, accounting for an average of 13 deaths every day among 15- to 24-year-olds. However, the number of violent deaths tells only part of the story. More than 700,000 young people are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. for assault-related injuries every year.
Although kids in gangs are far more likely than kids not involved in gangs to be both victims and perpetrators of violence,the risks go far beyond crime and violence. Gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse and high-risk sexual behavior and to experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment.

Why Prevention?

The large majority of youth who join a gang do so at a very early age: between 11 and 15 years old, with the peak years between 13 and 15. Therefore, early prevention is key. However, local, state and federal budgets in many arenas — including public health, criminal justice, education and community services — are currently addressing the aftermath of gang-joining on individual youth and their families, schools and communities.
Fortunately, we know that many early prevention programs are effective and provide taxpayers with significantly more benefits than costs. Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, for example, has written about the economic benefits of targeting high-risk children before they start kindergarten.

Researchers at the Washington State Institute for Public Policy have done cost-benefit analyses of prevention programs that show significant effects on a range of outcomes, including crime, educational attainment, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy and public assistance.10 Many programs have substantial returns that far exceed the costs. Hence, the focus of Changing Course is on the early prevention of gang-joining. (CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)

The Attractions of Gangs

Carl S. Taylor and Pamela R. Smith argue that policymakers and practitioners must understand that, to some kids, the positive aspects of being in a gang seem to outweigh the potentially life-destroying consequences. In their chapter in Changing Course, Dr. Taylor and Ms. Smith discuss:

Economics: Today’s economic reality can often leave teenagers out of the labor market — and the promise of material reward is a significant attraction for kids who join gangs.19–22 For many young people who feel disconnected from the American Dream, say Taylor and Smith, the economic opportunities of gang membership offer an acceptable alternative to a low-wage job in the legitimate employment arena.

A Support System and Sense of Belonging: Youth who feel marginalized, rejected or ignored in the family, school or church may join a gang to fill a need for support. Some youth join a gang for a sense of belonging, viewing the gang as a substitute or auxiliary family.“I was in the gang,” said Yusuf Shakur, now the director of Detroit’s Urban Youth Leadership Group, whom Taylor and Smith interviewed for Changing Course. “What lured me was … there was guys who made me feel like I was something special. They were my brothers; they looked out for me. If you want change, you have to compete with that fact.”

Relationships With Family and Friends: For some, the appeal is that a friend or family member is already in the gang.Youth who have older family members who are in a gang may feel particularly motivated to join.

Protection: There is incontrovertible evidence that kids in a gang are more likely to be exposed to violence than kids who do not belong to a gang. However, that truth does not resonate with many kids who join a gang, believing that it protects them from violence in school or the community. Some youth also seek the protection of a gang because of problems at home.20 Girls who experience physical or sexual abuse at home may believe that being in a gang offers them protection.

Status: For at-risk adolescents, gangs can be seen as a way to increase their status among peers. For these youth, joining a gang can also be regarded as a way to get respect, freedom and independence — all self-empowerment factors that may be missing from their lives.

Outlaw Mentality: Many kids — not only those at risk for gang membership — rebel against traditional societal values. For some, running with an organization of gangsters, hoodlums, thugs or banditos seems to be tak- ing a stand against society. Taylor and Smith argue that it is important to understand the image of an “outlaw culture” during the cognitive development stage of adolescence.

(CHANGING COURSE Preventing Gang Membership)