WHAT: The Biggest and Best Gang Training Conference --- Gang College 2008.
When? --- August 6th,7th, and 8th, 2008
Where is it being held? --- Chicago: Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel
Why Attend? Read more inside this on-line version of the brochure.
Who
Should Attend: Anyone who is impacted by the gang problem, whatever your
role, rank, or status in life. If you can be potentially enlisted in the fight
against gangs, you are welcome. From gang specialist police officer to gang
counselor at the local high school or a local prevention program; or maybe you
are just someone who wants to learn a lot more about gangs and network with
others nationwide.
How to Attend: A registration form is provided at the end of this lengthy file; or call or fax in a request for a registration form (TEL: 708 258-9111; FAX 708 258-9546). How to find out more? Go to the main webpage for the NGCRC: www.ngcrc.com
The 2008 NGCRC 11th International Gang Specialist Training Conference
2008 Conference Information Site--- The Full Text On-Line Version
Last UPDATED: May 8th, 2008
© Copyright Note: all of the material in this text file is Copryighted by the NGCRC (2008), and no one is authorized to reproduce, electronically or digitally store or disseminate or cache, this proprietary and privileged professional information, without the written prior permission of the Executive Director of the NGCRC. There is no legal “verbal approval” , the NGCRC does not provide any verbal approval exception to protecting copyrighted material: if you do not have it in writing from the Executive Director that you are authorized to use written material from the NGCRC website: then you are committing copyright infringement. You are now in the "2008 Conference" section of the National Gang Crime Research Center, this is a lengthy fext file that explains everything you could possibly want to know about the exciting gang training conference being held in Chicago Aug. 6-8, 2008; the main website of the NGCRC is: www.ngcrc.com Click here if you want to visit the main page of the NGCRC: www.ngcrc.com.
What's New: Some of the Preliminary Course Listings are Now Listed Towards the End of This Large Online File (Over N = 110 different courses listed).
This is Your Invitation to Attend the August 6-8, 2008 Conference:
It's the conference you cannot afford to miss. In the summer of 2008, the National Gang Crime Research Center will hold its 11th international gang training conference in Chicago — once again bringing together the Nation’s top experts on gangs and gang-related issues.
It's the experience you’ve come to expect — the opportunity to network with law enforcement, corrections, private sector professionals from all over the country and abroad.
Once again, the NGCRC will be offering you an enormous variety of choices to craft the education that is most pertinent to you and your jurisdiction. In 2007, for example, there were over N = 110 different courses you could attend.
You'll come away with new insights, the latest intell, and the most effective strategies to combat gangs.
You can’t afford to miss the NGCRC’s Eleventh International Gang Specialist Training Conference in Chicago this summer.
Don't delay!
There is a registration form for you at the main NGCRC website (www.ngcrc.com) and at the end of this large text file which describes the training conference in great detail.
Free Chicago Baseball Tickets:
One Per Person --- Limited Tickets Available
The NGCRC training occurs in Chicago and everyone knows that Chicago is a great city to take in a baseball game. And attending a baseball game in a group of 50 to 100 gang specialists is a great opportunity for informally networking with other gang experts from all over the USA and abroad. It is truly “quality time”, designed to enhance the opportunity for social networking with other gang specialists. The tickets we buy and pay for are bought in block sections: you sit with others from the NGCRC group in the same area. So, every year, to the extent permitted by cost and availability, the NGCRC attempts to buy a number of tickets to the baseball games. This year, during the same dates as the NGCRC Conference, we are blessed to have both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox home games in town during the conference!
The Chicago Cubs will be playing Houston on August 6th, 2008. It is an afternoon game, but it does not have to interfere with your accumulation of the required 24 hours of training, because the NGCRC curriculum is structured to allow people to easily make up the four hours (we offer early morning before 8am, noon time, and evening after 5pm training sessions).
The Chicago White Sox will be playing Detroit on August 6th, 2008. It is an evening game (7:11 p.m.).
Here is the policy and because we do not have as many tickets as we tried to get: one ticket per person. A further requirement is that the person requesting a ticket must be registered for the conference and you must be paid up for your registration at the time you request a ticket; further, the tickets will be given away on a “First come, First served” basis. We will post a notice at the website: if tickets are still available for this event, or if there are no longer any tickets to distribute for this event.
We do not have any extra tickets for this event. So, sadly, no we cannot give out any extra tickets to persons who are not registered with the conference. Periodically, we do find that on the day of the event, people who were given such tickets sometimes “turn them in” to the NGCRC Operations Center at the Hotel. It happens every year. What you just have to do is be persistent and stop by the Operations Center to see if any tickets have been returned. Again: first come, first served on the distribution of on-site “recycled” tickets.
The NGCRC was able to purchase 100 tickets for the Cubby game being held on Wednesday, afternoon, August 6th, 2008. This is a Cubs versus Houston game. The game starts at 1:20 pm.. It is not advised that you drive your personal vehicles to Wrigley Field: during games parking is at a premium, and the streets are very congested with vehicular traffic. Best and most efficient way to get there: by train.
The NGCRC was able to purchase 50 tickets for the White Sox game being held on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008. This is a Sox versus Detroit game. The game starts at 7:11 p.m., so you have plenty of time to finish your last regularly scheduled class that ends at 5:00p.m., and catch a bus or the “El-train” (subway and elevated train). It is not advised that you drive your own vehicile to the Sox game (parking can be costly).
If you are going to see the Cubs, then you will be heading to Wrigley Field. Figure about 10 minutes walking distance from the Hotel to the Train stop: 5 minutes by bus. Figure 12 minutes by train, 18 by bus, from approximately “Chicago Avenue” north (800 North). So.....20 to 25 minutes travel to Wrigley. It is not advised that you drive your personal vehicles to Wrigley Field: during games parking is at a premium, and the streets are very congested with vehicular traffic. Best and most efficient way to get there: by train. When going to the Sox game, you will be using the same thing: subway and el-train that drops you off right at 35th Street (south), right at the Sox ball park.
Regarding the afternoon Cubby game - the game starts at 1:20 p.m., and because it is an afternoon game, you would miss the regular 1pm-5pm (4 hour) segment of regularly scheduled classes: you would have to make up your 4 hours by any combination of the following: 1 hour Wednesday noon; 2 hours Wednesday evening; 2 hours Thursday early bird sessions (6am-8am); 1 hour Thursday noon, Thursday evening 2 hours; 2 hours Friday morning early bird (6am-8am); Friday noon (1 hour). You can make up a lot of extra time if you wanted to in early morning, noon, and evening sessions -- it is easy to make up 4 hours in the abundance of choices we have in early morning, noon, and evening sessions (a feature of the flexibility of our curriculum).
We suggest you take the train to Wrigley field and to the Sox ball park. The CTA train is cheap, fast.
Please note: transportation to and from the game from the hotel is not provided by the NGCRC. You simply need to call or visit the website for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and you will find there is very cheap transportation by train or bus. Should you want to pool in a taxi with some others from the NGCRC, or your own group that is attending, hey, fine, just remember you are on your own: the NGCRC is not paying for the transportation. We paid a premium price for the tickets. Our advice: buy a round-trip CTA train ticket.
Your ticket will be mailed directly to you (well before the conference). So do not lose the ticket, we cannot replace it if it is lost or destroyed. We will announce at this website location when we start mailing tickets. These tickets while paid for by the NGCRC are being distributed free of charge to officially registered trainees to enhance their social networking experience at the NGCRC training conference. We truly ask that you not exploit this by requesting a ticket and then trying to sell it: because whoever gets the ticket will have to sit with a lot of gang specialists. If you request a ticket, and if we provide you one, and you change your mind about attending this networking event: no problem, just hand in your ticket at anytime to the NGCRC.
As of March 1, 2008, the NGCRC will be mailing out tickets to those who request a ticket to the White Sox baseball game. So, if you pick that game you will get your ticket at the time you register, simultaneous to your receipt of the "Confirmation of Conference Registration" letter we send out to all people who are registered for the conference (so if you don't get a "Confirmation of Conference Registration" letter, you are not registered). As of March 15, 2008, the tickets for the Cubs game are also being mailed out directly to persons at time of registdration.
You can submit the Baseball Networking Event Ticket request form at the time you first register for the conference, it is built into the registration form. If you registered early, before we had the tickets, then you can submit the Ticket Request Form at any time after registering, during the time frame that we still have such tickets to give away. We cannot guarantee tickets to anyone. Again: first come, first served. Make sure your request is mailed by means of the United States Postal Service. Please follow the procedure described here. Currently we have tickets available for both games.
If you want a ticket to attend the Sox or Cubs game: then complete the form below.
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BASEBALL NETWORKING EVENT
TICKET REQUEST FORM
I am registered to attend the 2008 NGCRC Conference and I want to receive a ticket to one of the Baseball Networking Events. I understand that I need to select from one of the two options below. Here is the ONE that I want. (INSTRUCTION: "CHECK" one and only ONE of the four choices)
____I
am not interested in attending either of the Baseball Networking Events.
____I am requesting one ticket to the Weds. August 6th Cubs game (1:20pm start).
____I am requesting one ticket to the Weds. August 6th Sox game (7:11pm start)
____Either the Cubs or the Sox (either is fine, whatever is available)
Please mail me one free Baseball Networking Event ticket to:
Print Name: ________________________________________________________________
First Last
Street Address:______________________________________________________________
Agency (optional):___________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:______________________________________________________________
Mail this form to: NGCRC Conference Processing Center
P.O. Box 990
Peotone, IL 60468-0990
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THRASHER AWARDS:
A
Call for Nominations
The Thrasher Award is named in honor of Frederic Milton Thrasher, the 1927 author of the classic study of Chicago gangs, who generated the first social scientific analysis of gangs. Some say he started a new field of study: gangology.
Thrasher is known for his book The Gang: 1,313 Gangs in Chicago. Some 50 copies of this book will be given away free of charge at the 2008 Conference: in one of the “door prize drawings”.
The Thrasher Awards recognize outstanding contributions in research, scholarship, service, leadership, and other related accomplishments in dealing with the gang problem.
If you know someone who as achieved something outstanding in this area, then please send your nominations to: The 2008 Thrasher Awards Committee, National Gang Crime Research Center, P.O. Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468.
As a general guideline, for “how to prepare” a nomination: one cover letter, and then whatever attachments you feel are necessary to support the nomination. Attachments can include: statements or letters from others, corroborating the nomination, newspaper coverage, any forms of documentation that can support the nomination.
Thrasher Awards will be made at NGCRC's 2008 Ninth International Gang Specialist Training Program for persons who have made outstanding contributions in research, scholarship, service, leadership, and other accomplishments in dealing with the gang problem. These Awards cannot be made in absentia.
EXEMPLARY GANG PREVENTION/INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
A special series of the Thrasher Award's are designed to recognize "exemplary" gang prevention/intervention programs, initiatives, and agencies in the United States and abroad. An exemplary program is one of proven effectiveness and one which can be adapted to other jurisdictions (i.e., it can be replicated). A number of such programs will be featured as "Exemplary Gang Prevention/Intervention Programs" and will have training sessions describing their accomplishments and methods over the years: they are here to share their learning experiences with you.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: If you want to nominate a program for recognition as being an exemplary program, then send your information to - Exemplary Program Recommendations, Thrasher Awards Committee, National Gang Crime Research Center, PO Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468-0990. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the National Gang Crime Research Center at (708) 258-9111. We urge you to provide as much information as you can about the program and its accomplishments, including, but not limited to regular social service documents such as: an Annual Report, examples of evaluation research providing evidence of positive impact of the program, endorsements of the program, internal process or outcome studies, types of recognition in the local area of impact, etc.
Awards for Exemplary National Models are made on-site during the Conference in a special ceremony. A representative from the recipient program or organization must be registered with the conference. These awards cannot be made in absentia. Awards ceremony time and date (during the 2008 Conference in Chicago) TBA at this website. Recipients must be seated in the front row area. Arrive just before 7am and check in with the staff in front, tell them you are an Award Recipient.
Why the NGCRC has continued to set the “Gold Standard” for Gang Training:
The National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) has pioneered the field by first of all being producers of gang knowledge, publishing and disseminating useful information recognized at the highest levels of the social scientific community. Additionally, the NGCRC has a long track record of service (1990 to present) to law enforcement and correctional agencies nationwide in the goal of reducing gang violence. The research and intelligence analysis developed by the NGCRC over the years, and published in its scholarly journal, the Journal of Gang Research (now in its 15th year of publication), is of great practical value for gang investigators in law enforcement and STG coordinators in the field of corrections. Gang investigators at all levels of government, here and abroad, as well as gang/STG experts in corrections who attend the NGCRC training conferences have clearly made their views known that the NGCRC training is the best in regard to offering high quality practical choices. Police and corrections experts teach a variety of courses at the NGCRC training conference.
The NGCRC training conference is specifically designed to “train the trainer”: someone who completes the training will be able to return to their police department or institution equipped to train others. Investigators return with a wealth of printed information, and lots of new “networking contacts”: persons to call upon in the future.
Statistical Evaluation Results from the
2007 NGCRC Training Conference:
INTRODUCTION
The 2007 Tenth International NGCRC Gang Specialist Training Conference was held during August 15-17, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. The statistical evaluation results are reported here from over three hundred persons attending the conference who provided such evaluation surveys. What this documents is an amazing level of "success" as measured in terms of the satisfaction of those who attended. By the way, this is another one of the ways the NGCRC gang training "stands out" over all others in the world today: we have always used strong quantitative and qualitative research methods to evaluate our conferences, and we have dutifully and proudly reported these results over the years. This level of professionalism and transparency by the NGCRC to share this kind of information we feel speaks to a capability and quality factor that separates the NGCRC from other training options.
THE NGCRC ATTRACTS THOSE WITH AND WITHOUT PRIOR TRAINING ON GANGS
One statistical result from the evaluation forms completed by those attending the 2007 NGCRC training conference reveals the NGCRC attracts those with and without prior training in gangs. In fact, for 2007 some 45.1 percent indicated that they had not previously received any training about gangs. Thus, some 54.9 percent of those attending the NGCRC training conference indicated that they had in fact been previously trained on gangs.
THE NGCRC ATTRACTS NEW AND REPEAT TRAINEES
The NGCRC 2007 Evaluation Survey asked the trainees whether this was the first time they had attended an NGCRC conference. The results indicated that 58.9 percent of those attending the 2007 conference did so for the first time. In other words, some 41.1 percent of those who attended the 2007 conference did in fact have previous training at an official NGCRC training conference.
FEW ARGUE WITH THE FACTS: THE NGCRC OFFERS MORE CHOICES THAN ANYONE ELSE
One very powerful statistical result from the evaluation forms completed by those attending the 2007 NGCRC conference relates to the number of choices a person does or does not have in terms of different options for classes to attend. In some training programs there is no choice at all, or few or very limited choices. Some 98.5 percent of those attending the NGCRC 2007 conference reported that "the NGCRC had more choices for session topics".
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY REPORT “BEST GANG TRAINING EVER”
As a testament to the high quality of the training experience at the 2007 NGCRC training conference, another significant statistical result from the evaluation indicated an exceptionally high level of satisfaction with the training. Some 87.6 percent of those attending the conference reported that it "was, in my opinion, the best gang training event I have ever attended". Such high levels of praise from people all over the USA and abroad are indeed hard to achieve.
ALMOST EVERYONE WANTS TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR
Another measure of the validity of high levels of satisfaction among those attending the NGCRC’s 2007 conference is found in the results to the question measuring intention to "come back next year".
The evaluation instrument included the following question: "I would like to attend the 2008 NGCRC 11th International Gang Specialist Training Conference that the National Gang Crime Research Center is currently planning." ___True ___False.
Some 96.1 percent of those who attended the 2007 conference indicated that they want to attend the 2008 conference as well.
ACHIEVING NETWORKING: A GUARANTEED RESULT AT THE NGCRC CONFERENCE
Three separate evaluation questions addressed the issue of “networking” because this is always an important “added benefit” of any training, and it becomes particularly valuable as a resource when dealing with gang problems.
The first question asked "did you meet any new gang specialists that you may be able to network with in the future while you were at this conference". The results of the evaluation question about whether the participants at the 2007 NGCRC training conference were able to achieve networking showed an astounding 95.1 percent reported that they were able to achieve such networking while at the conference.
The second question sought to establish a baseline for how important the factor of "networking" was to those attending the 2007 NGCRC conference. The third question therefore asked the participants "was the opportunity to network with other gang specialists something that you wanted to achieve while at this conference". Here we find that 92.8 percent indicated that networking was an important goal for them at the conference.
A number of specialized "networking receptions" were available to anyone who wanted to participate in these events during after hours. These are well planned and well managed events designed to enhance networking among professionals. Thus, a third and final question about networking in the evaluation survey asked “did you attend any of the special networking receptions”? Here we find that 66.2 percent attended one or more of these specialized reception events.
What does this mean when we compare the results of questions two and three? Simple: the NGCRC delivers more. The level of reported networking achieved at the 2007 conference (95.1%) exceeded the level at which it was desired (92.8%). Another way of looking at this, is that some who did not consider networking important also achieved that networking result along with everyone else! The NGCRC promises a warm and friendly environment, and these statistics tend to support that claim.
VERY HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF TAKE HOME TRAINING MATERIALS
The rating system used by the NGCRC to evaluate the performance of the trainers and presenters, as well as its own operations, utilizes a “scale” of values from an absolute low value of "zero" to indicate the low extreme of "not satisfied" to an absolute high value of ten (10) to indicate the high extreme of "very satisfied". Thus, the “score” in such cases is easy to interpret: the higher the score, the higher the level of satisfaction.
The "mean score" is what is used to calculate an overall score for performance. The mean is the arithmetic mean, a measure of central tendency in the data, and it is calculated by means of an SPSS analysis. SPSS is a statistical software package widely used in the social sciences and criminology.
The evaluation form included the following question measuring the quality of materials: "how satisfied were you with the quality of the take home training materials provided to you?". Each participant is provided with a "take home goody bag" that contains various printed training materials for future use. The results indicated a mean score of 8.11 on a zero to 10 point scale.
A second question asked “how satisfied were you with the quantity of take home training materials provided to you?”, and here again a very high score emerges, a mean value of 7.81 was found for this factor.
HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH NGCRC STAFF
The evaluation form included the question "How satisfied were you with the staff and volunteers of the National Gang Crime Research Center in terms of making your experience at the training conference a quality time?". The results indicated a mean score of 8.88, again a very high level of satisfaction with the NGCRC staff. The staff provide a number of useful functions to the conference participants, from security to equipment technician support.
OVER A THIRD WON SOMETHING IN ONE OF THE RAFFLES
There are various raffles at the NGCRC conference, some occur at the networking receptions and some are scheduled through the Operations Center.
The evaluation form asked the conference participants "did you win anything in any of the raffles?". The results indicated that 39.9 percent of those attending the conference reported winning something in one of the raffles.
A FOURTH WENT ON ONE OF THE TOURS
There were various tours arranged (tour of the hood, tour of juvenile detention center, etc) for conference participants during their stay in Chicago. The tours were available free to those registered for the conference on a first come, first sign-up basis. The evaluation form therefore included the question "did you go on any of the tours?". The results indicated that over a fourth, some 27.2 percent, reported going out on one or more of the tours.
NGCRC GUESTS OFTEN BRING ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS WITH
The NGCRC promises a “family friendly” environment for its conference participants and provided some special features in this regard (e.g., Family ID cards allowing them to take advantage of discounts at restaurants, etc in the area). The evaluation form asked "Did you bring other family members to Chicago this visit" and the results indicated that 14.1 percent brought one or more other family members with to the conference.
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS GIVE “HIGH GRADES” TO THE NGCRC AS AN OVERALL EVALUATION RESULT
Finally, another question on the evaluation form asked the 2007 NGCRC conference participants to “give us your grade for how we did overall in trying to make this conference experience a good one for you. For a final grade, I give this conference an ___A ___B ___C ___D ___F”.
The results indicated that most (64.9%) gave the NGCRC an "A". An additional 30.1 percent gave the NGCRC a grade of "B". Thus, 95 percent of the trainees rated the NGCRC training experience as an "A" or "B", the highest possible grades. Again, from a different way of measuring the same thing (overall training experience), we find additional strong evidence of a high level of satisfaction among persons who attended the conference. Thus, conference attendees gave the NGCRC an overall grade of "A minus" it would appear from the 2007 evaluation results: again, a remarkable achievement.
Quotable Quotes from Persons who attended the 2007 NGCRC Training Conference in Chicago, August 15-17, 2007: Strong Qualitative Evidence of How the NGCRC Sets the Gold Standard for Gang Training.
The Conference Evaluation Form for the NGCRC's 2007 (Aug. 15-17th) Gang Specialist Training Conference held in Chicago, Illinois, included the open-ended question “What is the best thing you can say about your experience at this training conference (PRINT: We do appreciate hearing good news, so describe anything you really liked about the conference)”. The respondents also had the opportunity to be completely anonymous. The Evaluation Form included a separate follow-up question, asking for permission to quote them on whatever they might say in this regard.
Listed below, therefore, are a number of such comments. Obviously, these are some very positive endorsements about the quality of the training provided by the NGCRC. Secondly, there is a large diversity of persons represented in this sample. We feel it provides strong, positive, qualitative research evidence of the effectiveness of NGCRC training.
"Well organized and the best that I have attended. Keep up the good work Dr. Knox." Johnnie Greenwood, Center Standards Officer, Gary Job Corps Center, San Marcos, TX.
"Awesome training where the opportunity to learn additional tools of other officers that can be immediately used on the street. It was great to see police, educators, corrections, counselors, probation & parole from all over the country discuss not only the problem of gangs but many solutions to this problem." Sgt. James Vepley, Winthrop Harbor Police Department, Winthrop Harbor, IL.
"This was by and large the best training I have ever experienced. There were more than enough topics to choose from, and the instructors were not only extremely knowledgeable but made the experience interesting and enjoyable." Michael Pietruszynski, Police Officer, Palos Heights Police Department, Palos Heights, IL.
"This has been an outstanding training conference. The experience of the presenters was first rate. Professionalism was quite evident; top notch. Kudos to Dr. Knox and his staff to include volunteers, security. Good health and God speed. I hope I am to attend next year." Maple Porter, Intelligence Analyst, FBI, Washington, DC.
"The staff of the NGCRC is great at providing the latest information and intelligence gathering techniques. The continued follow up support is always appreciated. Thank you." Lt. William Loescher-Sanchez, Puyallup Tribal Police Dept., Puyallap Tribe of Indians, Tacoma, WA.
"The best gang training conference I ever attended, I recommend it to all STG/Gang coordinators." Lt. Dofredo "Fred" Pieretti, Philadelphia Prison System, Philadelphia, PA.
"This conference offered topics that increased my knowledge on gangs, their trends and mindset. Furthermore, the conference offered strategies for prevention/intervention ideas that I may be able to implement in my community. Keep up the good work and I appreciate you for offering a conference such as this one to increase knowledge of law enforcement. God Bless u!" Sgt. Pamela Thomas, Dougherty Co. Sheriff’s Office, Albany, GA.
"Enjoyed the variety of topics to choose from. Very informative and loved the interaction between instructors and attendees." Yvonne Little, Intell Analyst, AK National Guard Counter Drug Support Program, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Anchorage, AK.
"Taking back a lot of the information to help me in my job." Rick Simonelli, Deputy U.S. Marshall, U.S. Marshalls Service, USMS/Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit, Salt Lake City, UT.
"All seminars were excellent." James Houston, Professor, Grand Valley State University, East Grand Rapids, MI.
"The multi-disciplinary approach utilized by the NGCRC provided a truly valuable training conference to explore the gang problem in America." Timothy J. Griffin, Investigator, Mount Prospect Police Department, Mt. Prospect, IL.
" Very well organized. Staff and security very friendly and helpful. Excellent instructors and presenters."Shana R. Robert, Instructor, TN Law Enforcement Training Academy, Nashville, TN.
"Again this year! The Best! This conference has (last year) and will (this year) enhance out ministry focus and goals to reach more at-risk youth." Rev. Devon Harris, Executive Director, Full Circle Refuge, Inc., Augusta, GA.
"The knowledge of the presenters was outstanding. The staff and presenters were very open and helpful. The current trend info available was great!" Robert Warlaw, Investigator, Lagrange Police Department, Lagrange, IL.
"I have attended several workshops, conventions, etc. over the past 15 years. I have never attended a more comprehensive, informative and excellent program in those 15 years. I am very impressed and plan to continue attending on an annual basis." Kerry Reid, Principal, Byhalia Middle School, Byhalia, MS.
"The volunteer staff were very helpful. The speakers and their background of knowledge was outstanding. I will definitely recommend this conference to others. It was amazing and found meeting with attendees a great avenue for more information." Ormie Melton, Security Police Specialist, Plan Independent School District, Plan, TX.
"This has been an excellent opportunity to network with people who are dealing with the same issues from different perspectives from a great variety of locations." Pastor Scott Jewell, Baden Community Christian Church, St. Louis, MO.
"Mentoring session-Rev. Selph, Carter Smith-Great presenter." Alan Devolin, Calgary Police Service, Calgary, AB CANADA.
"Fantastic conference, dynamic instructors, great facility, fantastic fitness center, the grill fantastic place for food, everything you need and want is in truly walking distance, finally one of the finest conferences in my 30 years of law enforcement& military law enforcement careers." Carl D. McDuffie, School Resource Officer, Huntsville Police Department, Huntsville, AL.
"The presenters were well prepared and did allow time for questions. Also, in some cases, they were open to being contacted in the future if needed. I was also impressed with the opportunity of networking at the conference." Herman King, Youth & Community Services Supervisor, Kids Hope United, St. Louis, MO.
"The conference is well organized with good helpful staff available to guide you through any questions." Sgt. Charles M. Carroll, Lawrence Police Dept., Lawrence, MA.
"As usual, Dr. Knox and his staff did a wonderful job with the conference. The presenters, work staff, and seminars were nothing short of excellent. There is such a wealth of information that there needs to be more hours in a day to accommodate the numerous workshop selections. I look forward to returning again next year." Dawn Marie Nappi, Recruitment & Outreach Specialist, Jinna Development, St. Louis, MO.
"Large field of choice for topics. Informative “real life” instructors."- Sergeant Marc S. Kasaras, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, West Boyington, MA.
"Very very interesting. I’m glad I decided to do this training." Tony Michael Ellis, Muskegon, MI.
"There is a good diversity of topics offered with knowledgeable speakers/trainers from numerous backgrounds." Aaron Rider, Bellville, MI.
"All the classes that I attended were very informative and presented well. I will recommend this training to my institution." Robert Heier, Unit Manager, North Dakota State Penitentiary, Bismarck, ND.
"Reinforcement as to the fact that we are not alone and have others who share in areas of success and failure." Henry R. Pacheco, Program Director, CMI World Vision U.S. Programs, Herndon, VA.
"NGCRC staff were polite and helpful. Another excellent year of training." Randy Plunk, Staff Development Specialist, IL. Department of Corrections, Springfield, IL.
"The presenters for each course were subject matter experts for their period of instruction." Kenneth Ray Aycock, Gang Analyst, York County Sheriff’s Office, York, SC.
"A wealth of information. Good Job." Edwin Colunga, U.S. Probation Officer, U.S. District Court, Denver, CO.
"I really enjoyed Dr. Wang's Classes! He was very well prepared and had a wealth of information on Asian gangs. Fantastic learning experience. I look forward to attending next year." Robert E. Liebner, Police Officer, Greenwood Village Police Department, Greenwood Village, CO.
"The networking."-Mikel E. Trejo, Youth Counselor II, Carson City Juvenile Detention Center, Carson City, NV.
"This conference is a phenomenal experience. Anyone can take something away from this and apply it or use it or teach others when they get home." Sgt. Bret Kasel, Willmar, MN.
"Lots of info & selection!" Leslie Bauer, Onamia, MN.
"All instructors were committed to helping you beyond the conference." Sgt. Todd M. Messer, Sterling Police Department, Sterling, IL.
"Classroom settings were great. Wide variety of classes offered. The option to pick the classes one can attend is great." Israel Rodriguez, Patrol Officer, Riverdale Police Department, Riverdale, IL.
"New stuff was brought to the table - especially regarding terrorism and Islam." Carl James Adams, Deputy Sheriff, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Commerce City, CO.
"Great speakers, friendly staff, very informative and awesome location!!! Thanks for everything. You guys rock!!!" Demetrius Mallisham, Program Coordinator, Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers, Silver Spring, MD.
"The multitude of classes, the variety, freedom of choice." Lisa Aust, Supervisor, Aurora Probation, Kane County Court Services, Aurora, IL.
"The presenters were excellent. Charla Waxman provided me with tools that I can use with the clients I work with. She has the best handouts. The interventionist reception was enjoyable. Lester Moore's Hip Hop session was excellent. I could have stayed in that class for 2 more hours. He facilitated interaction with the class." Melissa Altman, Human Services Coordinator I, Department of Juvenile Justice, North Charleston, SC.
"Everything!! The diversity of trainers and topics truly makes the conference that much more valuable. The ability to network was amazing, even without attending the network events I was able to build contacts all over the country." Michael Keane, Probation Office, Cook County Probation, Chicago, IL.
"The wealth of information from different presenters as well as networking opportunities." Dana Berkes, Program Coordinator, United Community Ministerial Alliance, Battle Creek, MI.
"This conference offered a wide variety of topics covering all different disciplines. It was great to be able to customize your own agenda to gain knowledge in areas you are working." Cynthia Joyner Micklos, Intelligence Analyst, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Norfolk, VA.
"Great variety of sessions. Nice hotel. Fairly well organized. Friendly atmosphere. Great useful materials." Ayesha S. Harmon, Program Director, Youth Empowerment Zone, Columbia, MO.
"The networking and tour of the hood was great." Don Waters, Comin' Up Gang Intervention Program, Ft. Worth, TX.
"I found the conference to be comprehensive and informative, in general. I like the variety of training’s and the ability to move from room to room to find relevant training (sessions)." David Strong, Prevention Programs Director, Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA.
"Networking. Great info from various people in similar situation." Anthony Limoges, Principal, Middletown Middle School, Middletown, CA.
"Loved getting information on the different groups of gangs- Intel will help me and my school." Chris Heller, Principal, Middletown High School, Middletown, CA.
"The instructors were all very passionate about their subject matter. They had and over abundance of knowledge and all offered their knowledge and experience. I obtained excellent resources and contact which will prove very valuable. Best gang information and training I have obtained." Donald A. Muse, Investigator, Warrenton Police Department, Warrenton, VA.
"The classes were informative, the hotel accommodations and class/conference area was great, the location is great also and the food discount is a nice perk. The networking opportunities are wonderful!" Vanessa Walker-Wilfong, Gang Prevention School Social Worker, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Norcross, GA.
"Great Variety of info. Good/knowledgeable presentations." Patti Van Stone, Instructor of Criminal Justice, Southwestern College, Cincinnati, OH.
"Lots of choices." Vincent S. Munoz, Police Officer, Battle Creek Police Department, Battle Creek, MI.
"Great speakers!!!" Ashleigh Husby, Bettendorf, IA.
"I like the ability to go from class to class and make your own schedule. I also like the fact you can get up and move around between classes." Joel Field, Detention Deputy, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Minneapolis, MN.
"Everything was on time, speakers, presenters, were very well spoken." Leo Otero, Community Aftercare Manager, Full Circle Refuge, Inc., Augusta, GA.
"Well organized event." Sgt. Keith LaMont Stith, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, Jersey City, NJ.
"Your staff was awesome and your free-bee’s were great." Anthony E. Anderson, Patrolman, Morton Grove Police Dept., Morton Grove, IL.
"The diverse array of topics that were presented." Robert D. Hanser, Director, Institute of Law Enforcement, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA.
"I gained powerful knowledge to share with my SRO school recourse office & faculty, and valuable internet resource information." Randall K. Stokes, Assistant Principle, Hanover County Public Schools, Atlee High School, Mechanicsville, VA.
"There was a lot of information to be received. I really enjoy the conference." Tanya Arrington, Sgt./STG Facility Coordinator, Alabama Department of Corrections, Montgomery, AL.
"George Corbiscello's Workshops are ALWAYS timely and packed with information you can use. He is a tremendous resource and a true professional. It was great to have multiple workshop options that fit my needs ALL 3 days." Brian Bochenek, B.A., Domestic Violence Clinician, DuPage Co. Psychological Services, Wheaton, IL.
"Meeting new sources of info and expanding my networking circles. New topics too-were great." Dr. Michael J. Witkowski, Associate Professor, University of Detroit Mercy, Clarkston, MI.
"The whole conference was excellent." Daniel A. Ribaldo, Recruit Training Coordinator, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, Palos Hills, IL.
"Each year I come here I am amazed at number of people I meet. The networking is like no other conference. Presentations by Dories Yates & Bruce Malkin always keep me coming back for more. This could easily be made a weeklong conference." Sgt. Dan Woods, Aurora Police Department, Aurora, IL.
"Your staff were the best (Thank You STAFF), nice and knowledgeable- They showed honest consideration and concern- very helpful - truly the best." Musa A. Nasr, Recruitment & Outreach Specialist, Jinna Development, St. Louis, MO.
"The networking and information." Chris Hebbel, Davenport, IA.
"The opportunity to network." Detective Zac Gorbet, Austin ISD Police, Austin, TX.
"A lot of info and networking. GREAT JOB!!" Kris Allen, Deputy, Hendricks Co. Sheriff Department, Danville IL.
"Amount of information was fantastic. A committed staff made conference a great experience." Christopher V. Eller, Probation Officer, White Post Community Corrections Center, (Virginia Dept. Of Corrections), White Post, VA.
"Great speakers, I learned a lot." Dana L. Ritchardson, Corporal, Hendricks Co. Sheriff's Department, Danville, IL.
"The networking experience. Dan Woods, Aurora Police Dept. Is one of the greatest presenters that I have heard in a long time." Michael A. Brooks Sr.,Youth Intervention Specialist, City of Rochester, N.Y.,Pathways to Peace, Rochester, NY.
"Excellent classes and presenters. Tons of different options." Mark Schellhorn, Probation and Parole Officer, Department of Corrections, Kalispell, MT.
"All presenters very knowledgeable and polite. Willing to make extra time to answer questions and chat a bit as well." Malik A. Aziz, Co-Chair, Men United for a better Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
" I never had a chance to thank the trainers for taking time out of their lives to give me so much information. THANK YOU." Bryan McClimon, Corrections Officer/Reserve Deputy, Clinton Co. Sheriff’s Office, Clinton, IA.
"I thought this was excellent, the info is very valuable." Pastor Creighton Mabry, United Community Ministerial Alliance, Battle Creek, MI.
"I enjoy the "statement analysis" session. Great conference! Every year I’m available to learn something new." Maria Arevalo, Probation Officer, Cook Co. Juvenile Probation, Chicago, IL.
"Variety of classes" Allan Gerking, School Resource Officer, Puyallap Tribe of Indians
Tacoma, WA
"Great information. The instructors were all very passionate and knowledgeable about their topics. The criminal mind and the gangster was an outstanding class. It was the best class I attended at the conference." Shallon R. Oglesby, Trooper First Class, West Virginia State Police, Dunbar, WV.
"Very organized." Matthew Dzianchan, Deputy, Kent County Sheriff’s Department, Grand Rapids, MI.
"The knowledgeable staff & the information provided." Chad Harris, Deputy Sheriff,
Cook County Sheriff's Dept., Chicago, IL.
"The knowledge of the trainers was outstanding." Bob Northup, Youth Worker, Carmi Baptist Children’s Home, Carmi, IL.
"I am impressed with the amount of knowledge I gained through this conference. I enjoyed having the ability to choose my own classes & they moved quickly throughout the day. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable about the topics they presented & I was intrigued with the visual aids & the personal stories that they shared. Great Job to all!! A wealth of information!!" Pamela Stillings, Drug Demand Reduction NCO, Counterdrug Task Force, Summerville, SC.
"The variety of courses and the extended hours to add flexibility to your schedule." Richard Jenkins, Gang Intelligence Analyst, Counter Drug Support Program, Anchorage, AK.
"Incredibly organized! A vast and wide-range of substantial information that has given me a new perspective, as well as deepened those perspectives I already held. I'm already looking forward to the next conference, so I can acquire more training and certification in related fields" Timothy L. Watson, President/Co-Founder, Productive Alternatives and Initiatives for Development (P.A.I.P.), St. Louis, MO.
"I learned many things about different gangs & other groups I was not aware of. Networking was fabulous!" Lorenzo Lawson, Executive Director, Youth Empowerment Zone, Columbia, MO.
"I learned a lot of interesting ideas, I thought the conference was great; I really enjoyed it." Danielle Cranston, Danielle Cranston, St. Cloud, MN.
"Gained valuable information and met good contacts." David Waters, Program Coordinator, Comin Up Gang Intervention Program, Ft. Worth, TX.
"Too many good classes, so many choices, so little time!!" Ronald K. Lewis, Tacoma Police Dept., Tacoma, WA.
"It gave me the chance to learn more about gangs and also meet others in similar situations." Derryk Sellers, Athletic Director, Lindenwold High School, Lindenwold, NJ.
"This was a wonderful first experience for me at the NGCRC Gang Training Conference. The presentations were interesting, educational and informative. The presenters were knowledgeable & friendly." Megan Leschak, Youth Program Director, The Mediation Center, Asheville, NC.
"The various backgrounds in gang prevention. Family like atmosphere." Kenneth A. Davis, School Resource Officer, Yonkers Police Department, Yonkers, NY.
"There was a variety of choices during all times of the day." Melissa Rothstein, Intern, Office of Special Investigation for the MN DOC, St. Joseph, MN.
"Very professional environment, great classes many choices, thanks." Alec Wrolson, Officer, Puyallup Tribal Police, Tacoma, WA.
"This conference was extremely well organized. I appreciate all of the friendly NGCRC staff who were very helpful. I did not stay at the hotel, but the hotel staff were also helpful and friendly. GOOD SITE CHOICE!! I'm looking forward to returning next year- ALSO-nice balance of sessions.(school, police, etc.)." Alice Manning-Dowd, Student Service Coordinator, Joliet Public Schools # 86, Joliet, IL.
"Very well organized. Staff & security very friendly & helpful. Excellent instructors & presentations." Shana R. Roberts, Instructor, TN Law Enforcement Training Academy, Nashville, TN.
"Superb instruction by top professionals on diverse subjects. Great feedback from knowledgeable classmates to enhance education. I was impressed with the level of commitment and passion instructors apply in their job (field). Added an arsenal of knowledge to go back to my high school with. Thank you very much." Mario Nieves, Security Supervisor, Prosser Career Academy, Chicago, IL.
"All the presenters were very dedicated and enjoyed what they’re doing. It was very refreshing and rewarding." Matt Gohman, St. Cloud, MN.
"Powerful speaker& intense content." Sean A. Washington, Assistant Director, The Advocates, Battle Creek, MI.
"Great place to meet people, form new friendships & connections to take back to our jobs. Instructors were wonderful-easy to talk to, approach & ask questions. Even though this is my first seminar, the wealth of knowledge from others is outstanding. Thanks for this opportunity." Elizabeth Kramer, Patrol Officers, Southgate Police Department, Southgate, MI.
"The breakout sessions are great and allow students to focus on topics of interest for student. Great speakers and presenters with outstanding information to present." Rocky Smith, Deputy, Gaston Co. Sheriff’s Office, Gastonia, NC.
"Fantastic presentations from people like Dr. Todd Negola, Dr. Gregg Etter, etc." Adam Ryan Carlson, St. Cloud, MN.
"Most/All presentations were excellent. The bangin’ & banking Presentation (#53) was excellent & fell should be expanded next year. As was said many times during the conference, "it's about the money" & criminal justice personnel need much more education& training in this area." Kurt Pierpont, Senior U.S. Probation & Parole Officer, U.S. Courts District of Colorado, Denver, CO.
"Lots of options for classes." Sgt. Saul Bailey, Salt Lake Co. Sheriff’s Office, Salt Lake City, UT.
"The conference was to the point. Very well organized. Thank you!" Tony Cabello, Program Coordinator, Comin' Up Gang Intervention Program, Ft. Worth, TX.
"The presenters were great! They were all very passionate about their topics. I will recommend others in my area attend." Judd J. Wolfe, SRO, Gwinnett County School Police, Lawrenceville, GA.
"Great conference, I love how the sessions are arranged." Rev. Michael T. Westbrook, President/Pastor, Greater Life, Newark, NJ.
"Tremendous opportunity(s) to network." John Douglas, "A-Train" Atkisson, MCCC-Detention STG/Intel, Milwaukee, WI.
"Trainers at this conference were superb and have a wealth of information-obviously far more than time allowed for them to share with the attendees & were very approachable for additional information or feedback." Rod Lehmann, Investigator, Faribault, MN.
"The speakers were great." Sophia Burd, Youth Specialist, The Advocates, Battle Creek, MI.
"I was pleasantly surprised at how well most of the breakouts I attended were put together & how well the information applies to law enforcement." Detective Shane Woody, Belvidere Police Department, Belvidere, IL.
"The openness of people to share information. It’s hard to get people to talk and share things, but here it is encouraged to give personal input." Shane Edge, Dixon, IA.
"Presenters were up to date on materials presented." Sgt. Cynthia L. Starita, Ph.D. Southern Regional Public Safety Institute, Harrison County Sheriff's Department, Gulfport, MS.
"I obtained more information than I could have possibly hoped for. This has been a great experience."Joshua R. Hernandez, Buffalo, IA
"Session # 88 should have been attended by every person at the conference. Andrew Papachristos is by far, one of the most knowledgeable instructors at the conference." Michael A. Schoop, Officer, Rolling Meadows P.D., Rolling Meadows, IL.
"Opportunity to network with other experts in the field. Great conference with many experts coming together willing to share and networking." Dr. Dan Feaster, Executive Director/Psychotherapist, Samaritan Counseling Center, Madison, WI.
"The information/ideas and networking are great. The presenters were knowledgeable." Brian D. Boehm, Associate Principal, Verona Area High School, Verona, WI.
"Once again, an outstanding conference, a lot of new valuable information, the quality of information allows me to take back to my department and revise or update our current programs. This was a wonderful networking event. Look forward to attending the next yrs. Conference. All presenters were professional & knowledgeable." Sgt. James Banks, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, MVCC, Palos Hills, IL.
"I learned how to deal and investigate gang crimes and gave me a new focus on a gang expert." Mike Nimlos, Police Officer, Minneapolis Police Dept., New Brighton, MN.
"Fine tuned my experiences on gangs, so far in my career as a Law Enforcement officer. Great certification program!" Lucas Peterson, Police Officer, Minneapolis Police Dept., New Brighton, MN.
"I appreciate the number of presentations on K-12 schools, threat assessment, interventions, gangs in schools, etc." Gilbert Ramirez, School Social Worker, Highland High School, Albuquerque, NM.
"Great presenters, great staff, and great opportunities for networking, as always!" Sarah Meyer, St. Cloud State University, Long Lake, MN.
"The people that you meet, and the presenters were great." Doug Ingram, Probation Officer, Department of Corrections, White Post, VA.
"As always, there was an excellent variety of topics from which to choose. The variety of presenters and attendees, from academia and many professions, raises the bar on the brainstorming and networking potential that is critical to our success." Carter F. Smith, J.D., Assistant Professor, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN.
"All the good Hispanic gang training, very good." Francisco Porras, Police Officer, Minneapolis Police Dept., New Brighton, MN.
GOOD TO VERIFY IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY REGISTED FOR THIS CONFERENCE:
It is good to verify it if you think you are registered for this conference and if you have not received what is called a "Registration Confirmation" letter from the NGCRC.
On July 7th, 2008 the NGCRC will mail out the Session Attendance Simulation Survey (SASS) to those who are paid up and registered for the conference: if you do not receive one, you may not be officially registered; anyone who registers after that date, will receive one with their Registration Confirmation Letter up until the time frame of July 30th.....after July 30th the SASS is over with. The SASS is used to generate the planning information for the creation of the actual date, time, and room assignments for the final schedule of the program. The SASS allows us to be able to post the full program schedule up at the NGCRC internet site on or about August 1, 2008.
The NGCRC sends out a "registration confirmation" to everyone who is actually registered for the conference. This letter documents what training track you may have signed up for, and can also serve as a receipt for payment of conference fees.
So if you think you are registered and you have not received a "Registration Confirmation", then you may want to use a VERIFY MY REGISTRATION FORM. This form can be faxed or mailed in to the NGCRC and we will be able to promptly verify back to you if you are or are not registered. Please no phone or email inquiries: we need it in writing.
This procedure is particularly helpful if your agency has "dropped the ball" in terms of getting the registration form/payment mailed off to the NGCRC.
The Verify My Registration Form
Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________
Mailing address:________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:________________________________________________________________________________
Fax my confirmation back to me at this fax number: Area Code:________ Fax Number:__________________________
PROCEDURE FOR REGISTERING BY MEANS OF A PURCHASE ORDER
This explains the new streamlined policy and procedure for persons from government agencies who seek to register for the 2007 NGCRC Training Conference by means of a Purchase Order or related type of procurement method. There are three main provisions of this policy and procedure and they are as follows:
1. A purchase order number must be provided on the form used by the Agency, and it must bear a signature. It should reflect that the payee will be the NGCRC and the form should also reflect the specific amount payable to the NGCRC (call if you have any questions in this regard). Please provide any special billing information (e.g., who specifically we should make the Invoice out to and where specifically we should mail the Invoice to).
2. Fax your registration forms and the Purchase Order to the NGCRC ASAP. The NGCRC fax number is (708) 258-9546. After faxing it in, simply complete the registration form and attach a purchase order and mail it in ASAP to: National Gang Crime Research Center, 2008 Conference Processing Center, PO Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468. We do need it faxed and mailed as well. Please note that the deadline for Purchase Orders faxed to the NGCRC is July 30, 2007. Please note that the NGCRC will not accept “onsite” registrations by means of oral declarations that “my agency is going to pay for it”, and will not accept on-site purchase orders. If you are planning to pay by means of Purchase Order, then it must be done before the conference.
3. Upon receipt of the registration form(s) and the purchase order form (or a letter head version) the NGCRC will register the persons(s) and issue their agency an Invoice. At the same time, the NGCRC will send individual letters confirming the registration to those persons. There are no “on-site” registration options for payment by means of a Purchase Order.
THE TRAINING SCHEDULE:
The training schedule is as follows:
August 6th (Wednesday), 2008: Opening day begins 7am with an Official Welcoming Ceremony. Classes begin at 8:00am. And continue into the night.
August 7th (Thursday), 2008: early riser sessions begin 6am; regular sessions begin 8am and continue into the night.
August 8th (Friday), 2008: early riser sessions begin 6am; regular sessions begin 8am, and terminate at 5:00p.m. You must pick up your certificates before 6:00pm.
Note: we provide early morning sessions on Thursday and Friday; we provide noon sessions; and we provide early evening sessions on Weds. And Thurs. Evenings — this "extra credit" allows persons to accumulate 24 hours of training by using the “customized schedule”, and by accumulating four hours out of the regular schedule allows you to leave at noon on Friday (giving you much flexibility on airline schedules for departing Chicago on Friday). These "early morning sessions" begin at either 6am or 7am; the evening courses begin at 5pm and can go up till 10pm if we need to. Thus, when you complete your 24 hours, you are eligible to depart with your certificates. Clothing suggestion: business casual.
TOURS OF THE HOOD: BRING YOUR CAMERA AND APPETITE (for food and information)
The NGCRC invented the now famous "tour of the hood" several years ago when it was arranging ride-a-longs into "Chicago ganglands", and it has been a popular feature at the NGCRC training conferences as an evening networking and field training tool. There will be several such tours again offered for the 2008 NGCRC training conference.
THE TOUR OF LITTLE VILLAGE:
(73) ”Hispanic/Latino Gangs in the Little Village and the Pilsen Neighborhoods: A Field Training Tour”, by Robert Montejano Sr and Miguel Perez, Central States SER, Chicago, Illinois.
Two and a half (2.5) hours
Session Credits: Gang Prevention Skills; Gang Problems in K-12 Schools; Gang and Violence Prevention for School Administrators; Gang Counseling Skills.
Note: scheduled only for Thursday evening (Aug, 7, 2008), bus departs 5:30pm promptly from front of hotel. Note: You have to be “signed up” for this in advance. You sign up for it at this website when you are officially registered. See the “sign up form” at this website, or direct a letter or memo to that effect to the NGCRC. You are officially registered when the NGCRC issues you a “confirmation of registration letter”. The first 40 people who want to go on the bus are the ones who go; others will be put on “standby” notice. Room for 40 only on the bus. Those “winning” a slot for this session will be “posted” at the website on a routine basis to indicate the level of “room remaining” in the tour.
Advice from the NGCRC: this is where you can bring cameras, for some wonderful “shots” of the hood, talk to some people in the hood. Just be careful: follow the advice of your tour guide on “when” is and is not a good time to take out a camera.
Field Training Tour Description:
Welcome to one of the most famous gang “sites” in the world. Millions of federal gang research dollars were spent to reduce gang violence in the Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods of Chicago. If these were anywhere other than Chicago, they might be called “barrios”. But this is Chicago. And “Barrios” is a term associated with Los Angeles, not Chicago. But this is a Hispanic, Latino, Mexican American, and Puerto Rican neighborhood. With many fascinating and wonderful cultural attractions. You will be learning about the “gang side” of the community though.
You will be in a special tour of the area, and then return to the home base for Robert Montejano, a gang prevention specialist who has much experience in the field, and who has achieved a remarkable level of respect in the field of gang experts because of his community level prevention work. You will see the places immortalized in the literature on gangs, and you will see the real thing, gangs like the “Two Sixers”, the “Latin Kings”, and more. You will get a chance to have a light meal (paid for by the NGCRC) with Robert Montejano at their gang intervention and gang prevention site on west 26th Street.
Bring your cameras, you will see sights and places and faces well worth documenting. You will go out on a bus and come back on a bus supplied by the NGCRC. This field training event gives you one of the best minds in the business who has his boots on the ground in the area designated for this type of field training event.
Bios About the Tour Expert
Miguel Perez was born and raised in the Pilsen community of Chicago. He has seen how the Pilsen neighborhood has suffered from the curse of gang violence for generations. He has seen “gang programs” and “gang experiments” come and go in his community over the years. But he has also seen new hope for breaking that curse of gang violence. And he is playing his part in the process in the role of a Youth Development Specialist with Central States SER in the Little Village community of Chicago, a program that puts youths on a pathway to become self-sufficient..
Robert Montejano Sr. Is the Youth Services Manager with Central States SER in Little Village, Chicago. This is a community in which he was born and raised. Roberto has worked for over ten years in the field of youth services. With a decade of field experience, Roberto has seen first hand what works and what does not work in term of preventing gang problems. He feels education and employment services offer the most in terms of benefit-cost value to society. He feels these services need to be delivered in an innovative way while working with other stakeholders: the community, businesses, and various departments of city government.
List of those currently signed up for the Tour of Little Village:
John D. Long
Mike Shears
Andrew Swanstrom
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SIGN UP FORM for theTour of Little Village:
FOR: Session "Hispanic/Latino Gangs in the Little Village and the Pilsen Neighborhoods: A Field Training Tour", by Robert Montejano Sr and Miguel Perez, Central States SER, Chicago, Illinois.
Note: scheduled only for Thursday evening (Aug, 7, 2008), bus departs 5:30pm promptly from the Hotel.
I am already registered for the conference, or I am registering at this time, please sign me up for the Session "Tour of Little Village" for Thursday evening.
NEATLY PRINT OR TYPE:
Print your name:_______________________l____________
Address:_________________________________________
City, ST, Zip:_____________________________________
Mail this form to: NGCRC, Conference Processing Center, PO Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468-0990
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FIELD TRAINING TOUR OF the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center:
"The Audy Home Tour: A Guided Visit of the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center”, by Kevin Kreuser and Joy Kreuser, Cook County Juvenile Probation Department, Chicago, IL.
Two (2) Hours
Session credits: Dealing With Gangs in Juvenile Correctional Facilities; Gang Prevention Skills; Corrections Gang/STG Intelligence; Dealing With Gang Members in Probation/Parole.
Abstract
“Audy Home” is what it has been called for a century, it is the secure short-term lockup for juveniles awaiting or undergoing trial in Cook County. Persons attending the 2008 NGCRC Conference will be able to “sign-up” for the tour of the Audy Home effective immediately. The website contains a “Sign Me Up for the Audy Home Tour” form. This form must be faxed or mailed in (or both). Watch the website to monitor if your name shows up on the “official list” of persons who have signed up for the tour.
This networking opportunity is of value especially to anyone working with juveniles, juvenile probation, etc.
There is a limit on the number of persons who can go on the Audy Home Tour, and this number is a function mostly of security precautions (this is, after all, a secure facility you will be touring). The website will note if there is or is not any space remaining on the Audy Home Tour.
If there is no space remaining, then you can always “sign up” for “standby space” on the Audy Home Tour. We often get last minute cancellations for the tour (this is not the first time we have done this), and so if you are available at the time the bus leaves from the hotel, and someone who has been signed up for it does not arrive, you get their seat because they did not show up on time. That is the standby space option.
The Audy Home tour is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th, 2008. The bus will pick up people directly at the hotel, 5:30pm. It will come back to the hotel in about two hours.
The Audy Home is one of the largest such juvenile detention facilities in the USA. It was created when the first juvenile court was created in America. The first juvenile court in America was created in Cook County, Illinois. You might reasonably assume a high density level for gang membership among the juveniles confined in the Audy Home. We have two outstanding tour leaders who are juvenile justice professionals: Kevin Kreuser and Joy Kreuser.
SIGN UP FORM for theTour of Audy Home:
FOR: Session entitled "The Audy Home Tour: A Guided Visit of the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center”, by Kevin Kreuser and Joy Kreuser, Cook County Juvenile Probation Department, Chicago, IL.
Note: scheduled only for Thursday evening (Aug, 7, 2008), bus departs 5:30pm promptly from the Hotel.
I am already registered for the conference, or I am registering at this time, please sign me up for the Session "Tour of Audy HOme" for Thursday evening.
NEATLY PRINT OR TYPE:
Print your name:_______________________l____________
Address:_________________________________________
City, ST, Zip:_____________________________________
Mail this form to: NGCRC, Conference Processing Center, PO Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468-0990
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List of those currently signed up for Tour of Audy Home:
.
TOUR OF THE HOOD --- SOUTHSIDE: Back of the Yards (A Field Training Tour)
(95) “Back of the Yards: A Field Training Tour”, by Father Bruce Wellems and Oscar Contreras, Holy Cross/Immaculate Heart of Mary, Chicago, IL.
Three (3) hours
Note: scheduled only for Wednesday evening (August 6th, 2008), bus departs 5:30pm promptly from front of hotel. Note: You have to be “signed up” for this in advance. You sign up for it using the form available at the website. All tours: first come, first served. Names will be posted at the website. There will be a “last minute” STANDBY LIST FOR THE TOUR: no guarantees here, this is a very popular event. But you would have to be physically present to be on the “stand by list” at the time the bus is scheduled to depart. If there is an open seat, first in line gets the open seat. No sign up; you have to be there; ready to go.
Advice from the NGCRC: this is where you can bring cameras, for some wonderful “shots” of the hood, talk to some people in the hood.
Session Credits: Gang Prevention Skills; Faith-Based Programs for Gang Intervention; Gang Problems in K-12 Schools; Gang and Violence Prevention for School Administrators.
Field Training Tour Description:
Welcome to the Back of the Yards, on the near southwest side of Chicago! Some journalists have also called this the “killing fields”. Though most would not consider this neighborhood a tourist Mecca, the area offers some great insights on working with youth who are at-risk and who are involved in gangs. Accompany Oscar Contreras and Father Bruce Wellems, two men who are walking the streets and have lived in the neighborhood for years. They will tell of successes and failures working with teenage youth, of discoveries and lost treasures in the neighborhood. You will view a memorial wall to murdered youth, as well as other murals, and visit with youth who are living in the neighborhood. This tour will challenge you to a greater awareness of the needs of our urban areas.
About the field training tour session leaders:
Father Bruce Wellems is the Pastor of Holy Cross/Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Back of the Yards, Chicago, a Mexican immigrant low-income neighborhood. Father Bruce has worked in the parish for 13 years, developing alternative education programs for youth at-risk in partnership with the Chicago Public Schools and Mayor Richard Daley. He also works with the Juvenile Courts, Juvenile Probation and Chicago Police Department in serving Chicago youths.
Oscar Contreras has worked with Holy Cross-Catholic Charities for several years, and is responsible for Supervising Street Intervention. Oscar accompanies a series of youth group gatherings called “Reflections” and Parenting workshops called “Padres Ayudando Padres”. Originally from East Los Angeles from a gang environment, Oscar works primarily in areas of crisis management with youth and their families.
SIGN UP FORM for theTour of Back of the Yards:
FOR: Session (95) “Back of the Yards: A Field Training Tour”, by Father Bruce Wellems and Oscar Contreras, Holy Cross/Immaculate Heart of Mary, Chicago, IL.
Note: scheduled only for Wednesday evening (Aug, 6, 2008), bus departs 5:30pm promptly from the Hotel.
I am already registered for the conference, or I am registering at this time, please sign me up for the Session "Tour of Little Village" for Thursday evening.
NEATLY PRINT OR TYPE:
Print your name:_______________________l____________
Address:_________________________________________
City, ST, Zip:_____________________________________
Mail this form to: NGCRC, Conference Processing Center, PO Box 990, Peotone, IL 60468-0990
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List of people signed up for the Tour of Back of the Yards:
John D. Long
Mike Shears
Andrew Swanstrom
(name not listed here? Make sure you complete and mail in your tour request form)
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An Option for 2008: The Double Major
(Signing Up for Two Tracks)
The NGCRC has had repeated requests for this over the years, the idea of having a "double major": i.e., to be able to sign up for two (2) different specialty track areas. The benefit, of course, is that such a "double major" would result in two different specialty track certificates: one certificate for each of the two tracks.
The NGCRC is pleased to announce that the double major option is now available and it is described here.
Q: What does it mean to have a double major?
A: All it means is you can have two "tracks"; you have to log in a minimum of four hours in each of the two specialty areas.