OUR VISION 

To make neighborhoods safer and freer, we need new ways of thinking about gangs, gang membership, and the crime and violence often associated with gangs. The network fosters analysis and critique to correct the misconceptions and racist assumptions about gangs and the policing of gangs that are common in law enforcement, the courts, academia, the media, and in the public consciousness.

Our goals are to:

• identify and reframe the false and misleading narrative about what a gang is, who is a gang member, and what gangs do;
• analyze and critique the different paradigms used to understand gangs, gang members, and gang crime/violence, including the history of gangs and gang suppression, legal definitions of gangs, the court testimony of gang experts, and the studies of academics; and,
• contribute to the development of language and narrative tools that address the real (as opposed to perceived) harms associated with gangs using alternatives to criminalization and dehumanization.

Communities have taken a variety of approaches to reduce neighborhood violence and to increase safety, healing, and social integration. These approaches are as varied as stop-and-frisk policing, jobs programs for people leaving jails and prisons, and healing circles for the currently gang-involved. The Network evaluates the successes and failures of different attempts to make neighborhoods safer. 

Our goals are to:

•  examine legislation and gang laws;
• examine gang enhancements, injunctions, and documentation; and,
• evaluate the varied efforts to reduce the harms associated with gangs, such as dedicated police gang units, government funded gang intervention, grassroots peace efforts, and deportation.

Realizing a new vision of safety requires action by people and organizations with a wide variety of backgrounds and skills, but who all share common goals and who all recognize the leadership of impacted people. The Network coordinates its member organizations' efforts to increase public safety, reduce state violence, reduce gang violence, and reduce racially disproportionate outcomes.

Our goals are to:

• empower impacted people to lead the movement;
• share best practices from different regions;
• coordinate federal action;
• promote model legislation and campaign demands;
• support media and public relations efforts; and
• connect impact litigation efforts to impacted communities and experts