Gang and youth violence: prevention.

Under existing law, the Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy, which is in the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, is responsible for identifying and evaluating gang and youth violence programs and strategies, along with funding for those efforts. The Director of the Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy is responsible for monitoring, assessing, and coordinating the state's gang and youth violence programs, as specified. This bill would require the director, subject to statutory limits and directives, to make recommendations to streamline existing state agency gang and youth violence grant programs with a goal toward giving priority to grant programs that employ evidence-based practices. It would require the director to create a working group consisting of representatives of state offices and representatives of other specified stakeholders to assist in this effort, with the director serving as the chairperson. The bill would require the working group to advise the office on the task of streamlining grant programs that address gang and youth violence, in accordance with certain procedures. The working group would be responsible for making recommendations to streamline existing state agency gang and youth violence grant programs, including recommending procedures and requirements for state agencies and departments administering grant programs to provide incentives for grant recipients to implement evidence-based practices. The bill would require the Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy to report the findings of the working group to the Legislature and the Governor by June 1, 2010.