VZCZCXRO1160
RR RUEHCD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHGD #0237 1431737
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221737Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0784
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1985
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHGD/AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA 4835

UNCLAS GUADALAJARA 000237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SOCI MX
SUBJECT: EVALUATION FOR IIP SPEAKERS ANTHONY CEJA AND MONICA 
TINAJERO, GANG PREVENTION PROGRAM, TRACKERS 31215 AND 31216 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Anthony Ceja and Monica Tinajero from San Diego's 
Education Department spoke to a variety of groups during their 
three-day program in Guadalajara and Tepic.  They met with 
educators and public security departments, an association of 
rehabilitated gang members, and students to explain how their 
program "Fighting Violence and Gangs in Schools and the 
Community" helps rescue youngsters from gangs and gives them 
practical skills for a better life.  This program was a 
tremendous success because of the outstanding professional and 
personal qualities of the speakers.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  Dates: April 27 - May 1, 2008.  FY-08. 
 
¶3.  MPP theme and audience reached:  The program supported 
Post's MPP theme of Public Security.  It involved direct 
audience contact with about 900 persons.  The audiences included 
members of the State of Jalisco Civic Public Security Council, 
the Guadalajara Security Secretariat, the Nayarit State Attorney 
General's Office, faculty members of law schools, the Police 
Department's Prevention Unit, NGOs, students, and the media. 
 
¶4.  Justification and objectives:  Several local organizations 
expressed the need for programs on youth and gang prevention, an 
area we had not addressed recently.  While Guadalajara and Tepic 
enjoy a relatively good level of public security, gang and drug 
activity continues to grow, and there are signs that the problem 
is growing.  The appearance of more graffiti throughout the 
cities has raised concerns about increased gang activity. 
Through this program we hoped to engage our contacts in a 
discussion about the challenges we face on both sides of the 
border to keep young people out of a violent gang lifestyle. 
 
¶5.  Description of activities:  In Guadalajara the specialists 
participated in a seminar for public security officials, a 
seminar for a large audience of government officials, educators 
and NGOs on violence and gang prevention, and a lecture to a 
gang rehabilitation association.  In the city of Tepic, Nayarit, 
they spoke to a group organized by the State Attorney General's 
Office that included police in the prevention unit, educators, 
and NGO associations, and later met for a discussion with 
University of Nayarit officials, professors and students.  The 
speakers gave interviews to several press and media outlets. 
 
¶6.  Results/Impact:  The speakers encouraged citizen 
participation and promoted innovative techniques for 
intervention against gang activity and drug abuse, both for 
youth and their parents, as well as law enforcement and 
educational institutions.  Their efforts strengthened the 
community and social service agencies to be effective voices 
against gangs and drug traffickers and encouraged rehabilitation 
of former gang members.  The problems caused by gangs in Mexico 
reach beyond graffiti and are a national security issue for both 
Mexico and the U.S.  The speakers' addressed other consequences 
of gang activity such as weapons trafficking and trafficking in 
persons, especially among girls for sexual/commercial 
exploitation.  One of their most important messages conveyed the 
need for cooperation and trust among authorities of all types, 
schools, social workers, and parents to be successful in 
fighting gang activity.  Bringing together these 
interdisciplinary and inter-agency audiences made them think 
more about collaborative efforts and the important role of 
education. 
 
¶7.  Media coverage:  Ceja and Tinajero gave interviews to a 
cable TV news program and a radio station.  The University of 
Guadalajara's media outreach program produced a TV report, a 
radio news program, and an article for its weekly paper from its 
interview with these guests. 
 
¶8.  Non-USG support/funding:  None. 
 
¶9.  Quality of U.S. support and IIP offices involved:  The 
support we received for this program was excellent, and we 
appreciated this I-bucks opportunity.   Estelle Baird offered 
useful guidance for the program planning.  Many thanks from PAS 
Guadalajara for IIP's hard work and financial support. 
 
RAMOTOWSKI