PRESS RELEASE

Council of the District of Columbia

Office of Chairman Vincent C. Gray
The John A. Wilson Building
350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

For Immediate Release: Contact: Doxie A. McCoy

June 12, 2009 202-724-8032
dmccoy@dccouncil.us

Gray Says Blueprint on Gang, Crew and Youth Violence Must Be Impetus for
Immediate Action
Washington, DC--Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray today joined Ward 1 Councilmember Jim
Graham and other Councilmembers at a news conference to release “Responding to Gang, Crew
and Youth Violence in the District of Columbia - A Blueprint For Action,” a report by the
Healthy Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative Council. Councilmember Graham and
the Council commissioned the Blueprint in May of 2008 as part of the Council’s ongoing
commitment to addressing issues related to gang and crew activity.

“I commend Councilmember Graham for keeping this issue on the radar as our youth continue to
be pressured by negative influences that steer them to gangs, crews and violence in the absence
of stable families, positive activities, and support,” Chairman Gray said. “It is incumbent upon
the District of Columbia government and community entities to work together on strategies to
better prepare our youth to withstand negative pressures and to build up their families to help
them turn away from such pressures.”

Gray said headlines involving shootings of victims in their 20s and younger in just the last
couple of weeks provide evidence that the Blueprint may be the impetus needed for immediate
action to implement some of the recommendations. They include:

• Create joint working group of the Citywide Coordinating Council for Youth Violence
Prevention
• Establish city-wide Commission tasked with advising the city regarding coordinating and
streamlining resources dedicated to gang, crew and other youth violence intervention and
prevention efforts.
 • Develop comprehensive citywide violence prevention plan within 120 days of
Commission establishment, as response to Blueprint.
• Develop funding mechanisms for sustainability and support of violence prevention plan.
• Bolster public supports in key areas to create a safety net for families affected by
violence. Couple with awareness raising activities.

Chairman Gray said, “I concur with the Blueprint’s finding that without a dramatic city-wide
effort, the small scale, isolated youth violence programming in the city cannot abate the
escalating trend of gang and crew activity.”

In October of 2007, Gray launched monthly “Youth Issues Hearings” to provide young people
with a forum every second Saturday of the month to talk to Councilmembers about any issue or
concern affecting their age group. He said gangs, crews and violence often are the subjects of
teens’ testimony, as they cry out for help in their neighborhoods, schools, and households. The
next youth hearing will take place tomorrow (Saturday, June 13th) at 10:00 AM in the
Council Chamber (Room 500) of the John A. Wilson Building.

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