2009 - Beyond Gangs: Beyond Gangs, Groups and Cliques



[ Français ]		March 3 & 4, 2009 • Doubletree by Hilton, 655 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario

		Conference Presentations You must save the presentation file to your computer before opening the file. Please note that not all presentations are available. Questions? Contact: 905 335 7993 or 1 800 625 7925 E-Mail: janice@mmsonline.ca

		Plenary Presentation A Policy to Deliver Effective Services to Support Communities in Meeting the Challenges of Youth Gangs This presentation will introduce the Strategic Framework for Youth and Gangs. The framework is a comprehensive and collaborative approach focused on prevention, intervention and suppression, to address concerns and mobilize resources in Ontario related to youth and gangs. The policy directions provided are supported both by the experiences of those currently involved in providing resources targeting youth gangs as well as empirically based promising and best practices from other jurisdictions. Speaker: Dr. Alan Leschied, Psychologist and Professor, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON

, ,	TP2	Community Mobilization in Ontario This workshop will describe strategies that have been helpful in engaging and involving the community in gang prevention and intervention in Ottawa and Toronto. There will also be a discussion of the importance of community involvement in any strategy related to youth and gangs. Speakers: Gord Boyd, Ottawa Youth Gang Prevention Strategy, Ottawa, ON Michael Justinich, Ottawa Youth Gang Prevention Strategy, Ottawa, ON Scott Mills, Crime Stoppers – Toronto Police Service, Toronto, ON Eira Ramos, Spanish Speaking Education Network (SSEN), Toronto, ON Esthela Cuenca, Spanish Speaking Education Network (SSEN), Toronto, ON Josue, Spanish Speaking Education Network (SSEN), Toronto, ON Christian, Spanish Speaking Education Network (SSEN), Toronto, ON

,	TP4	Prevention II Presenters will discuss prevention initiatives including programming in early childhood and adolescence as well as strategic funding of prevention programs. Speakers: Kathy Levene, Child Development Institute, Toronto, ON Jamie Sutherland, Child Development Institute, Toronto, ON Richard Kennett, Lighthouses, Winnipeg, MB Murray Scott, Choices Youth Program, Winnipeg, MB

		Plenary Presentation Fostering Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Street Gang Proliferation and Activity Government and non-government organizations tend to address the problems of gangs from their own unique position. This presentation describes one community’s effort to develop a coordinated, unified “gang strategy.” It does so by addressing three commonly accepted approaches: prevention, intervention and suppression. Progress on this initiative will be described. Speaker: Dr. Stephen Wormith, Professor of Psychology, and Chair, Forensic Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

		Plenary Presentation Youth Gangs in the Canadian Context: Definitions, Research Findings and Policy Implications This presentation will begin by discussing theoretical debates surrounding the definition of youth gangs followed by a discussion of Canadian research findings. An emphasis will be placed on identifying the true extent of youth gangs in Canada, identifying the root causes of gang activity, and highlighting risk factors associated with both gang membership and gang violence. A brief analysis of how Canadian gangs compare with gangs from other Western nations will also be provided. The presentation will conclude with an overview of various gang prevention and gang intervention strategies. The great need for high quality, Canadian evaluation studies will be highlighted. Speaker: Dr. Scot Wortley, Professor of Criminology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

	WP1	Aboriginal The Circle of Courage Program as well as a series of documentary films on gang involvement will be used to discuss programs for Aboriginal youth in Manitoba. Speakers: Roland Maurice Vandal, Pan Am Boxing and Athletic Club, Winnipeg, MB Ervin Chartrand, Winnipeg, MB Lionel Houston, Circle of Courage, Winnipeg, MB

,	WP2	Prevention/Intervention Presenters will discuss programming that integrates prevention and intervention activities for youth at risk of involvement, or already involved with, gangs in Halifax and Quebec. Speakers: Marcus James, Youth Opposing Gang Activity (YOGA) Project, Halifax, NS Robert Paris, Intervenant, Montreal, QC

, ,	WP4	Intervention II This workshop will explore promising intervention activities/programs for youth who are gang involved in Saskatchewan and the Greater Toronto Area. Speakers: Michelle Moran, RISE Program, East Metro Youth Services, Toronto, ON Joanne Muscarella, Violence Intervention Project (VIP), East Metro Youth Services, Toronto, ON Likwa Nkala, Youth Outreach Worker Program, East Metro Youth Services, Toronto, ON Christopher Ellis, Violence Intervention Project (VIP), East Metro Youth Services, Toronto, ON Jordan Beckford, Violence Intervention Project (VIP), East Metro Youth Services, Toronto, ON Kim Sutherland, Street Culture Kidz Project, Regina, SK Curtis Bell, 9 Heavens, Toronto, ON Devon Jones, Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education, Toronto, ON



		This conference is jointly supported by the Department of Justice Canada and the Government of Ontario.