On April 2, 2006 the Governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley, announced that the $2 million USD put aside for Juvenile Justice will be awarded to fifteen different counties across the state to aid in preventing and reducing gang violence. Governor Easley asserted that “Studies have shown that gang violence can be curbed if officials, law enforcement, educators, and community leaders work together to combat this growing problem”. The ensuing services will be administered by the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP). 

The grant scheme began in 2005 when the Governor’s Crime Commission and the (DJJDP) were charged with providing two-year grants to Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils (JCPC) to fund gang violence prevention initiatives. They received a total of 40 applications from 51 different counties. The selected projects included proposals for mentoring programs, after-school programs, and helping current gang members leave gangs by finding educational and/or work options for them to pursue.