The Task Force On 
Gangs And Youth Violence

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The Mission of the Task Force

The Southwest Missouri Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth Violence is committed to the prevention and reduction of gangs and youth violence by facilitating partnerships between social services, educational institutions, juvenile and criminal justice systems, and members of our community.

Our primary goal is to facilitate the delivery of services that match community needs to resources as they apply to gang activity.  We actively seek input from all segments of the community as well as civic organizations that wish to have an impact on the youth of our community.

Informational Forums Crime Up-Dates Community Liaison Grafitti Removal

The Speakers Bureau Our Web Site Publications Street Clean Up

Informational Forums

Members of the Task Force arrange to meet with concerned community members in order to present the latest local data on gangs and youth violence, discuss the causes of such behavior, and identify possible solutions to the problems we are facing.

We have a new gang power point presentation and are able to present it (with discussion) at group meetings. Call 888-2020 (Community Partnership) to arrange for a showing. Only shown in the Southwest Missouri area.

Citizens of the area who attend these meetings are encouraged to express their concerns and are encouraged to take further action to help reduce gang activity and youth violence. 

These informational forums are held several times throughout the year at sites throughout Southwest Missouri. If you are interested in having a forum help in your community, please call us in Springfield at 417-888-2020 to make the necessary arrangements.

Community Liaison

Through their membership on the Task Force, a variety of community agencies are provided an opportunity to hear each others’ concerns, share information, maintain an on-going dialog and, when appropriate, take collection action to address the gang and youth violence issues found in our Southwest Missouri communities.

If you or the agency you represent is interested in joining in this effort, please call us in Springfield at 417-888-2020 and let us know.   We are always interested in adding concerned citizens and community organizations to our group.

Speakers Bureau

The Task Force is fortunate for having a number of area professionals in the field of criminal and juvenile justice who are not only knowledgeable about gangs and youth violence, but they are also available for speaking engagements in the community.

If you would like to have someone from our Speakers Bureau come to a meeting of your group or organization (school, business, faith group, etc.), please call us in Springfield at 417-888-2020 and let us know.    We’ll make every effort to attend your meeting, talk about gangs and youth violence, answer your questions and provide other valuable insights and information.

Crime Up-Dates

At the monthly meetings of the Task Force a representative from the Springfield Police Department’s Organized Crime and Vice Unit (which is also responsible for the department’s response to gangs) presents up-dated data on gang-related criminal activity.

A representative from Greene County Juvenile Services presents similar information regarding the activities of juveniles in the county.     When available, representatives from other cities, town, and counties in Southwest Missouri present relevant information.  

If you have some information you would like to share with the Task Force, please call us in Springfield at 417-888-2020 and let us know of your concerns.   And please attend one or more of our Task Force meetings so you can express your comments and receive what we hope will be valuable and practical responses to the issues or problems you raise.

Publications

The Task Force has a variety of publications related to gangs, youth violence, violence in the schools, substance (drug) abuse, and more.   If you are interested in finding out just what we have available then call us in Springfield at 417-888-2020 and inquire.

The Task Force Web Site

The Task Force created and maintains this site and provides it as a mechanism for communicating with individuals in the community who are looking for gang- and youth-violence related information and/or services.   Our thanks to Missouri State University and Dr. Michael Carlie (Department of Sociology and Anthropology) for hosting and keeping this site up-to-date.

Graffiti Removal

The Task Force is committed to the “Three R’s” of graffiti - Read it, Record it, Remove it.   In this regard, we would like to hear from you if you have any graffiti you would like to report.   We will read it in hopes of making some sense of it, record it by taking a picture, and someone or a local agency will come to the scene and remove the graffiti in a timely manner.  To Report Graffiti please call 864-1300.

Street Clean-Up and more.

Among the services or programs the Task Force has provided in the past have been street clean-up projects, informational television and radio programs, the sponsorship of public school meetings on the issue of gangs and youth violence, and much more.

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