The group New Directions Youth and Family Services has held training on gang issues for law enforcement personnel and human services agencies. This year, families are the target.

New Directions says "awareness is prevention." Following a workshop held Saturday, another one is scheduled Tuesday night at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. The main speaker will be Mike Pacific from Long Island who is the architect of a program called GRIPE -- Gang Reduction through Intervention, Prevention and Education. We reached him on the phone to talk more about gangs and their recruitment efforts.

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