California Governor Schwarzenegger Appoints Two Additional Members to CalGRIP Advisory Committee

09/21/2007 -- As part of his California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention Program (CalGRIP), Governor Schwarzenegger today appointed two more members to the CalGRIP Advisory Committee: Angel Rios, Jr. and John Roberts.

“For a long time, our state has been in need of a comprehensive approach to gang violence that provides a statewide framework. That is why earlier this year, I introduced CalGRIP which is the first coordinated, multi-faceted anti-gang initiative involving all levels of government. It focuses on the three strategies everyone agrees work best: suppression, intervention and prevention,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “CalGRIP will provide important job training and education programs, while at the same time giving tools to local law enforcement that will allow them to make our streets safer.

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“I am pleased to add Angel and John to serve on the CalGRIP Advisory Committee to ensure all of California is represented in our gang fighting efforts.”

In the beginning of this month, the Governor appointed former U.S. Attorney Paul Seave as state director of gang and youth violence policy along with ten advisory committee members.

“I commend Governor Schwarzenegger for taking this opportunity to address gang violence, one of the most distressing problems that faces California. As the Governor has observed, any effective approach to prevent gang violence will require a comprehensive, collaborative and sustained effort by each affected local community that is then supported by a coordinated state effort,” Gang and Youth Violence Policy State Director Paul Seave said. “This advisory committee of knowledgeable and distinguished Californians, who themselves have worked on gang issues from many different perspectives for many years, will work with the Administration, local governments and communities as well as other organizations to combat and eventually overcome this problem.”

Angel Rios, Jr.

Deputy Director of Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services, City of San Jose

Rios is the deputy director of Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services in the City of San Jose. In addition to managing San Jose’s 53 community centers, Rios directs the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force and has developed several award-winning gang and youth violence reduction strategies. Rios is working with the National League of Cities to implement his successful gang and youth violence models in regions afflicted by gang violence throughout the United States.

Rios holds a B.A. from San Jose State University.

John Roberts

Chief Probation Officer, Kern County Probation Department

John Roberts is the chief probation officer for the Kern County Probation Department and is president-elect of the Chief Probation Officers of California Association. Roberts also serves as the chairman of the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, leading the organization’s efforts to develop a comprehensive, multi-agency plan for prevention, intervention and treatment strategies for juvenile offenders across California. In addition to his work in law enforcement, Roberts serves as president of the Kern County Network for Children.

Roberts holds a B.A. from California State University, Bakersfield.

Governor Schwarzenegger first introduced CalGRIP in May to confront the recent dramatic increase in gang violence across the state and their proliferation in suburban and rural areas. There are more than 420,000 gang members statewide. In spite of an overall decrease in crime in most California cities since the 1990s, rates of gang-related violent crime remain steady.

The CalGRIP strategy targets more than $31 million in state and federal funding toward local anti-gang efforts, including intervention, suppression and prevention. The program will double funding for witness protection from the state Victims Restitution Fund to a total of $6 million. CalGRIP will also establish a “High Risk Gang Offender” designation to subject offenders to special parole conditions that limit their ability to recruit children into gangs and limit their access to gang-infested areas. CalGRIP will provide job training to former gang members, as a resource for businesses interested in hiring them, and develop a list of rehabilitative community organizations. It redirects $1.1 million in uncommitted, discretionary Juvenile Accountability Block Grants for programs targeting at-risk youth.

The CalGRIP Advisory Committee will meet on a regular basis with the state director of gang and youth violence policy and help build comprehensive, long-term strategies to fight gang violence throughout the state.

The Governor also appointed the following CalGRIP Advisory Committee members earlier this month:

* Jerry Dyer, Fresno Chief of Police
* Harvey Woo, Lieutenant, Sacramento Sheriff’s Department
* David L. Brewer III, Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District
* Jack Calhoun, President, Hope Matters; Leader, 13-California City Gang Prevention Network
* John Shegerian, CEO, Electronic Recyclers, Fresno
* Connie Rice, CEO, The Advancement Project, Los Angeles
* Reverend Dr. Joseph Bryant Jr., Senior Pastor, Calvary Hill Community Church, San Francisco
* Darryl Charles, Founding Member, Overcoming Gangs, San Diego
* Deborah Aguilar, Founder, A Time For Grieving
* Sandra Rodriguez, Principal, San Bernardino High School

Source: California Governor