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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Information
For information on on-site trainings that are available, contact me. I am also a court qualified expert on the dynamics of gangs and other youth issues.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Are you interested in a proven program that works in schools?
Visit the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports website by clicking here.
If you are in Arkansas, here are your contacts about this evidence based program.
If you are in Arkansas, here are your contacts about this evidence based program.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
School ALE Responsibility
Parents should demand that their school district's Alternative Learning Environment, whether it is in-school suspension or a full time ALE setting, be run like a school, not a prison. If the school district treats kids like prisoners, the kids will act like prisoners. Treat them as students, and they will learn.
For more information on this and other topics you might need in your community, you can email me at Steve@gangwar.com. Paz y amor.
For more information on this and other topics you might need in your community, you can email me at Steve@gangwar.com. Paz y amor.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
From the July 30, 2011 Hot Springs Sentinel-Record
Speaker targets youth violence
JENN BALLARD The Sentinel-Record
Steve Nawojczyk, staff development and training administrator for the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Youth and Community Services, discussed gang violence prevention at the Arkansas Career Training Institute on Friday.
The ACTI held the community education forum to discuss youth and gang violence education, intervention and prevention.
Nawojczyk, who calls Hot Springs his home after moving to the area and graduating from Lake Hamilton High School, said his career began in 1973 working for the ambulance services and serving as the Garland County coroner
“Over 25 years, I studied death. I started my life here as the coroner in Garland County. From that I became the director of crime, (sic- this should read that I became director of the crime lab) then I became the coroner in Pulaski County,” he said.
Before moving to his current position, he said he spent several years traveling the country to research and better understand gang violence.
Nawojczyk said one of the reasons he left his job as a coroner was because “our homicide rate in Little Rock increased by 300 percent in a three-year (sic- reporter “misheard” this- it was a ten year period) time period.”
“Almost all of the people responsible for the increase were young people,” he said. “It was not only the young people who were dying, it was the young people who were doing the killing, so effectively, two lives were wasted.”
“From studying death, you really learn a lot about life,” he said, recognizing the work the Ouachita Children’s Center does for the community.
“They would love to have input from the community because the community has to be involved and has to be part of the solution,” he said, noting that education of youth and adults is an integral part of changing a community.
“One of the things we have a tendency to do as adults is to call them ‘wannabes,’” he said of students who show gang tendencies. “That’s a dangerous term. I don’t want you to use that anymore.
“I want you to think of them more as ‘gonnabes’ because if there’s not an intervention and if you don’t deal with that effectively, they will advance.”
Nawojczyk said there are five Hs that drive individuals towards joining a gang: helpless, homeless, hopeless, hungry and hug-less.
“The greatest majority of kids can be helped by the community,” he said, adding that the three Rs which make up gangs are respect, retaliation and reputation.
Nawojczyk described the “flea-dipping theory” where, like a dog who receives flea treatment but doesn’t have their bed cleaned of fleas, if a child is helped at school and the home life has not changed, the problem as a whole isn’t being treated.
He also stressed the importance of educating young black youth.
“The leading cause of death to this day for black men under the age of 35 is homicide. The leading cause of death for black women under the age of 35 is AIDS,” he said. “Both of those are preventable with education.”
Nawojczyk said the key to dealing with gangs or potential gangs is to levelize the situation.
“You need to be levelized when you’re dealing with these issues,” he said. “You need to understand the big reasons these kids are getting involved in these activities they are seeking identity, recognition, belonging, discipline, love, respect.”
Nawojczyk said coming together as a community is important to combating gangs.
“Your community has to come together and understand what you are dealing with,” he said. “Recognize it and deal with it, and that’s what you do.”
Nawojczyk said talking with youth will benefit adults’ knowledge and understanding of gangs and violence.
“There should be something in place to call a local mentor,” he said of a possible solution. “You have to figure out a way to do an early intervention.”
He said getting students involved, whether it’s in the arts or sports, will benefit them, and cited several examples, such as a children’s choir in New York City.
A friend of Nawojczyk, Leifel Jackson, a former Crip gangleader who is now a gang intervention and prevention specialist, said he felt as though he was helping his community by being a part of a gang.
“I did two years (sic- it’s closer to 10, reporter misheard this too) in federal prison,” Jackson said. “Back then, I thought I was the leader of the greatest gang in the state. One of the media people quoted me as one of the most dangerous men in the state of Arkansas.
“In a sick way, back in the day when I was banging, I thought I was helping my community,” he said. “I would buy kids school clothes, if their grades were right, to go back to school, and shoes. I would make sure bills were paid and grass was cut in their yards.”
Nawojczyk said community leaders must make the schools more desirable than the alternative.
“We need to start paying attention,” he said. “We have to start being creative and stepping up and pushing the box when it comes to dealing with kids.”
JENN BALLARD The Sentinel-Record
Steve Nawojczyk, staff development and training administrator for the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Youth and Community Services, discussed gang violence prevention at the Arkansas Career Training Institute on Friday.
The ACTI held the community education forum to discuss youth and gang violence education, intervention and prevention.
Nawojczyk, who calls Hot Springs his home after moving to the area and graduating from Lake Hamilton High School, said his career began in 1973 working for the ambulance services and serving as the Garland County coroner
“Over 25 years, I studied death. I started my life here as the coroner in Garland County. From that I became the director of crime, (sic- this should read that I became director of the crime lab) then I became the coroner in Pulaski County,” he said.
Before moving to his current position, he said he spent several years traveling the country to research and better understand gang violence.
Nawojczyk said one of the reasons he left his job as a coroner was because “our homicide rate in Little Rock increased by 300 percent in a three-year (sic- reporter “misheard” this- it was a ten year period) time period.”
“Almost all of the people responsible for the increase were young people,” he said. “It was not only the young people who were dying, it was the young people who were doing the killing, so effectively, two lives were wasted.”
“From studying death, you really learn a lot about life,” he said, recognizing the work the Ouachita Children’s Center does for the community.
“They would love to have input from the community because the community has to be involved and has to be part of the solution,” he said, noting that education of youth and adults is an integral part of changing a community.
“One of the things we have a tendency to do as adults is to call them ‘wannabes,’” he said of students who show gang tendencies. “That’s a dangerous term. I don’t want you to use that anymore.
“I want you to think of them more as ‘gonnabes’ because if there’s not an intervention and if you don’t deal with that effectively, they will advance.”
Nawojczyk said there are five Hs that drive individuals towards joining a gang: helpless, homeless, hopeless, hungry and hug-less.
“The greatest majority of kids can be helped by the community,” he said, adding that the three Rs which make up gangs are respect, retaliation and reputation.
Nawojczyk described the “flea-dipping theory” where, like a dog who receives flea treatment but doesn’t have their bed cleaned of fleas, if a child is helped at school and the home life has not changed, the problem as a whole isn’t being treated.
He also stressed the importance of educating young black youth.
“The leading cause of death to this day for black men under the age of 35 is homicide. The leading cause of death for black women under the age of 35 is AIDS,” he said. “Both of those are preventable with education.”
Nawojczyk said the key to dealing with gangs or potential gangs is to levelize the situation.
“You need to be levelized when you’re dealing with these issues,” he said. “You need to understand the big reasons these kids are getting involved in these activities they are seeking identity, recognition, belonging, discipline, love, respect.”
Nawojczyk said coming together as a community is important to combating gangs.
“Your community has to come together and understand what you are dealing with,” he said. “Recognize it and deal with it, and that’s what you do.”
Nawojczyk said talking with youth will benefit adults’ knowledge and understanding of gangs and violence.
“There should be something in place to call a local mentor,” he said of a possible solution. “You have to figure out a way to do an early intervention.”
He said getting students involved, whether it’s in the arts or sports, will benefit them, and cited several examples, such as a children’s choir in New York City.
A friend of Nawojczyk, Leifel Jackson, a former Crip gangleader who is now a gang intervention and prevention specialist, said he felt as though he was helping his community by being a part of a gang.
“I did two years (sic- it’s closer to 10, reporter misheard this too) in federal prison,” Jackson said. “Back then, I thought I was the leader of the greatest gang in the state. One of the media people quoted me as one of the most dangerous men in the state of Arkansas.
“In a sick way, back in the day when I was banging, I thought I was helping my community,” he said. “I would buy kids school clothes, if their grades were right, to go back to school, and shoes. I would make sure bills were paid and grass was cut in their yards.”
Nawojczyk said community leaders must make the schools more desirable than the alternative.
“We need to start paying attention,” he said. “We have to start being creative and stepping up and pushing the box when it comes to dealing with kids.”
Gangs, Posses, Cliques or Crews
Please take a moment to friend my Gang and juvenile issues Prevention and Intervention Facebook Page here. I keep it current with updated info.
If I can help your agency, school district or community understand the issues around youth violence, and more importantly, assist you in devising a plan to work through the problems, email me at Steve@GangWar.com
Paz y amor.
If I can help your agency, school district or community understand the issues around youth violence, and more importantly, assist you in devising a plan to work through the problems, email me at Steve@GangWar.com
Paz y amor.
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