This report was published by Astwood Strategy Corporation.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS REPORT:

This report, authored by Astwood Strategy Corporation, was commissioned by Crime Prevention Ottawa in collaboration with a multi-stakeholder working group on gangs. The research protocol was designed to briefly summarize the youth gang situation in Ottawa, discuss what key informant interviewees highlighted is needed to address the current situation, as well as note the gaps in service delivery in the region. A dual process of an online Likert scale survey instrument, in addition to key informant interviews with thirty’three diverse stakeholders across the region, was utilized to render the findings and recommendations outlined herein.

With respect to the on’line survey, respondents (n=25), among other things, expressed strong agreement with respect to the notions that Ottawa requires a broader prevention response, a broader intervention/diversion response to address youth gangs, additional education on the youth gang issue, and that the youth gang issue was driven largely by issues such as neighbourhood (location), the illicit drug trade, socioeconomics and family conditions.

Likewise, there was strong agreement that from a preventative standpoint, programs such as life skills development, mentoring programs and after schools programs would be most beneficial to Ottawa youth. In contrast, areas of less agreement included that there were sufficient prevention resources in place in Ottawa to deal with youth gangs, that there was sufficient inter’agency collaboration on the issue, and that there was sufficient awareness to deal constructively with the youth gang issue.