My Sister’s Keeper
CHER has been selected as the evaluator for the California Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention Program (CalGRIP) 7 grant, My Sister’s Keeper, for the city of Long Beach. My Sister’s Keeper will work to prevent and decrease the number of girls becoming gang-affiliated or gang-victimized (human-trafficked). Although gangs have historically trafficked drugs to earn money, the trafficking of young women is becoming more prevalent. Globally, human-trafficking generates $32 billion a year in profit. Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) has reported that the majority of human traffickers in the City are gang members. This 3-year grant will utilize an evidence-based, U.S. Department of Justice supported anti-gang strategy to reach the project goal of reducing gang membership and gang victimization among at-risk female youth ages 10-24 within Long Beach. The four components of My Sister’s Keeper include city-wide prevention, focused prevention, intervention, and suppression.
A mixed methods approach to evaluation with staggered data collection activities will take place during years 1 through 3 of program implementation. Quantitative data collection activities will include Pre- and Post-surveys, which will assess awareness of human-trafficking, cyber safety, and healthy relationships among at-risk female youth. Pre- and Post-tests will also be developed to assess knowledge of evidence-based practices among service providers. To collect qualitative data, focus groups with partner agencies will be conducted at the end of year 1 to discuss successes and challenges to service delivery. Additionally, CHER staff will interview four gang-affiliated female youth to assess their perception of the services they received through My Sister’s Keeper.
Measurable outcomes for the evaluation include:
- Increase awareness of gang victimization and human-trafficking
- Increase knowledge of cyber safety and healthy relationships
- Increase knowledge of evidence-based practices for working with at-risk female youth
- Number of gang-affiliated female youth who receive wraparound services
- Number of female youth rescued from human-trafficking
- Number of gang members arrested
To learn more, visity the website for My Sister's Keeper.