Welcome to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Strategic Planning Tool

How to Use This Tool

The Strategic Planning Tool was developed to assist in assessing a community’s gang problem and planning strategies to deal with it. Although originally created for cities participating in the OJJDP Gang Reduction Program, the tool can be used by any community.

The four interrelated components of the tool are described below. They can be used separately or in sequence, depending on the user’s needs. The Planning and Implementation, Risk Factors, and Program Matrix components provide information for any community, but the Community Resource Inventory component is site-specific. In other words, the user creates a password-protected database and populates it available local resources. If, after reading the description below and the instructions and “test-driving” the tool using the demonstration community, you would like to create an inventory for your community, please request an account using the online account request form.

1. Community Resource Inventory

   The tool allows the user to “inventory” and record information about community organizations, programs, services, and activities that could be incorporated into a collaborative, comprehensive approach to gangs. A community resource inventory is an essential first step in problem assessment. Collected information can be entered into a searchable database. Once the database is populated, the user can produce a matrix that answers the questions, “What does our community have in place?” and “What do we need that is missing?”

2. Planning and Implementation

   Once these questions are answered, a second function of the tool permits the user to access a database containing descriptions of numerous gang prevention, intervention, and suppression programs, strategies, and activities, as well as juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention programs. Programs in the database were reviewed using several criteria and designated as “effective” or “promising.” The user is offered hundreds of options, cross-referenced by age of the intended target population and linked to risk factors in five domains. These programs, strategies, and practices can be selected to fill gaps in coverage.

3. Risk Factors

   The tool also contains a description of research-based risk factors for delinquency by age (developmental) periods, and risk factors that are correlated to gang behavior are annotated. Empirical indicators and data sources are shown for community-level measurement of risk factor prevalence.

4. Program Matrix

   All programs in the database are listed alphabetically in the program matrix. This matrix also allows users to view the age range of clients served by each program in the database. Users are able to examine a description of each program by clicking on the program name.

To use the Community Resource Inventory portion of the tool:

This section of the tool has several features to assist in strategic planning.

1. Data entry and storage: Communities conducting inventories of resources can enter the information in a secure database. The entry screen allows user to categorize four types of community resources:
   1. Service programs
   2. Funders (including potential funders)
   3. Human resources
   4. Infrastructure (schools, churches, hospitals, etc.)
2. Database searches: Once entered, data may be searched to locate suitable resources.
3. Program matrix: Drawing from resources in the database, this feature produces a matrix of all available service programs, cross-tabulated by age and type of program (prevention, intervention, or suppression). The matrix can show, at a glance, gaps in program coverage.

Signing In

You must sign in to your account before you can work with the data in your inventory. Click on the Community Resource Inventory tab, and then click on the “Sign in” button at the top left of the page. If you do not have an account, you can request one using the online account request form. (NOTE: For demonstration and training purposes, dummy data has been entered into a sample Community Resource Inventory database. Any visitor can view this demonstration community and browse sample resources, view a service program matrix, perform a search on the sample data, and view a nonfunctional data entry form.)

Adding Resources

1. Sign in to your account if you have not already done so.
2. Choose “Add Resource” from the Community Resource Inventory submenu.
3. Complete the fields with available information you have deemed necessary to your community’s work.
4. Save your resource to the database by clicking on the “Add Resource” button at the bottom of the form. (Partial resources may be created, then reopened and edited when additional information has been obtained.)

Viewing Individual Resources

1. Sign in to your account if you have not already done so.
2. Choose “List” from the Community Resource Inventory submenu to see a complete listing of resources for your community. View the details of an individual resource by clicking on its link in the list.
3. Choose “Service Program Matrix” from the Community Resource Inventory submenu to see a matrix listing service program resources for your community. The matrix is cross-tabulated by age groups and type of program. View the details of an individual resource by clicking on its link in the matrix. If your inventory contains resources that are not service programs, they will be listed below the matrix under the heading “Other Resources.”
4. Choose “Search” from the Community Resource Inventory submenu to list a subset of your community’s resources based on search criteria you provide. View the details of an individual resource by clicking on its link in the list.

Editing Resources

1. Sign in to your account if you have not already done so.
2. View an individual resource using one of the methods outlined above under “Viewing Individual Resources.”
3. Click on “Edit” at the bottom of the resource’s description.
4. Make the necessary edits or additions to the resource and click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the form.

Deleting Resources

1. Sign in to your account if you have not already done so.
2. View an individual resource using one of the methods outlined above under “Viewing Individual Resources.”
3. Click on “Delete” at the bottom of the resource’s description.
4. On the subsequent confirmation page, click the “Delete” button.

Searching Your Inventory

1. Sign in to your account if you have not already done so.
2. Choose “Search” from the Community Resource Inventory submenu.
3. Enter appropriate keywords and/or other search criteria on the search screen and click “Search Your Inventory” at the bottom of the form.
4. Be cautious in choosing your search criteria; too many modifiers may limit your results to the point at which no resources will be displayed.

To use the Planning and Implementation portion of the tool:

1. Select “Planning and Implementation.”
2. Select either Programs, Strategies, or Best Practices and select one of the target age groups on the subsequent page.
3. In the Programs section, you will see a listing of programs that are appropriate for the age group you have selected. Click on the program name to display summary information about the program. The program description, intended ages, and targeted risk factors are displayed, as well as contacts for additional information.
4. For the Strategies and Best Practices sections, each age group lists information grouped by program area, when appropriate. Not all areas are germane to all age groups.

To use the Risk Factors section of the tool:

This section of the tool allows the user to select programs that target specific risk factors.

1. On the home page, click on the Risk Factors tab.
2. Next, select one of the age groups; e.g., 6–11.
3. A list of risk factors will be displayed for that age group. Risk factors are in red and are grouped by domain. You can scroll down to display all the domains and risk factors. Note: Some age groups do not have risk factors for each domain.
4. You can click on the “Associated Programs” link to display the names of programs in which an association can be drawn with a certain risk factor.
5. Clicking on the program name displays the program summary information page.