While law enforcement and re-entry are crucial aspects of crime-fighting, a good prevention plan focuses on children/teens and on the social underpinnings that can both prevent crime and lead to a fruitful life. Our plan is an extra-curricular program that promotes the opportunity for growth and training. By the time a young person has interacted with law enforcement, prime opportunities for prevention and intervention have already passed. Effective programs are aimed at reducing risk factors of delinquency for at-risk youth - before they commit a crime or an act of violence and shape the foundation of our prevention plan.

No Guns Just Gloves recognizes that law enforcement is but one part of a comprehensive approach and identifies with the areas of intervention that will improve targeting of at risk youth and delivery of proven program to lessen risk factors associated with problem behavior.

Prevention programs aimed at keeping kids in school and in safe places like ICAT Academy's No Guns Just Gloves Program after school are so important. We must make kids at risk more resilient to the pressures of gangs, and with your help, we will.

Why do kids join gangs? Each case is individual, but some reasons include:

• Security, protection and a sense of belonging. The NGJG program not only teaches the sweat science of boxing but self-defense, crime prevention, awareness and rape escape under Steve Karidan and the FlAG program known nationwide.
• Lack of family, community, or youth support system (too much unsupervised time). NGJG and here at ICAT Academy we are a family oriented facility, we do not refer to our students as clients but as family. We instill good family values, a strong support system and teach the children by example, community support. Not only are we a Boxing Gym but we participate in community events such as Making Strides for Cancer Walk, Ocean Township Food Drive, Our very own Holiday Toy Drive and we encourage our youth to be community service oriented and welcome community service projects throughout Monmouth County.
• Sense of status or respect. Youth today are looking for a sense of status or achievement and all young people are not basketball & football players. Our No Guns Just Gloves program allows our youth to, when properly trained, participate in Boxing bouts on the Local, State, Inter-State, National and even International Level, as we are a licensed and sanctioned boxing gym under the USA Amateur Boxing Association. Additionally, on the club level we continually recognize our youth's achievements through rewards, and social events.
• Low self-esteem. Our program here at NGJG - ICAT Academy is centered around encouragement and support. One of our main objectives is to raise our youth's self-confidence and self-esteem through a positive coaching approach. WE DO NOT yell, demean or belittle anyone who trains in the No Guns Just Gloves program or at ICAT Academy. WE DO NOT TOLERATE any such behavior by fellow boxers, coaches or on-lookers. We have a strict NO-EGO policy. We are all here to grow and learn.
• Financial opportunities (i.e. profits from drug distribution and other illegal activities). We offer training opportunities and information to our youth in the Health and Fitness field and work with guidance counselors in work co-op programs. Youth have the opportunity to become assistant coaches and get paid for their work. Additionally, in 2010 we will be offering a No Guns Just Gloves Scholarship program for college bound students. We strongly encourage and support education.
• Peer pressure. Youth join gangs because they are pressured by their peers, here youth encourage each other to be the best they can be and support each other in all of their endeavors in and out of the Boxing Ring. Here at NGJG - ICAT we are known for supporting our youth at school events, extracurricular activities, sports and even birthdays and thanksgiving.
• Thrill seeking. There is nothing more thrilling then the Sweat Science of Boxing. The No Guns Just Gloves allows youth to participate in a thrilling sport in a safe, fun and healthy environment.
• Media glorifying violence. NGJG's uses a defensive approach, not Offensive. We teach respect, honor and sportsmanship. Humility and integrity. Boxing is not just a physical sport but a mental sport and we encourage our youth to use their minds not their fists.

As we all know, jail alone is not the most effective way to combat crime. Prevention is a key component in overall strategy. Parents, coaches, teachers, mentors - we all need to be an integral part of this plan. Each of us has the ability to impact the lives of young people before they get sucked in by streets.

No one knows better than our program director, Victor Lashley (Coach Lash) an army veteran who grew up in the projects but didn't allow the streets to suck him in because of a program which was available for him similar to No Guns Just Gloves. Coach Lash was a Juvenile State Corrections officer of 16 years. He worked with youth at the Jamesburg juvenile detention center where he had a good standing record of no escapes and the least amount of assaults in 10 years, due to his mentoring, coaching and training methods he used while there. Coach Lash strongly believes in self-discipline and respect. Not just for others but for yourself as well. Additionally Coach Lash taught NJ State Police Defensive Tactics and has a tremendous amount of training himself.

To prevent juvenile crime, we need to keep Monmouth County's youth safe, healthy, and off the streets. We're working together with local businesses, schools and townships to give our youth real opportunities and alternatives to turning to gangs and crime.

By providing and encouraging leadership, teamwork, self-discipline skills, education and work, youth will be guided to a pathway of brighter opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives. We pride ourselves on developing open and frequent communication with our youth and encourage them to do the same with their parents. Encourage them to become involved in other activities, athletic or non-athletic for a sense of belonging and cultivate respect for others' property and pride in themselves and in community.

We owe it to our families, friends and neighbors to protect them from violence by doing everything we can to prevent it.

Gloves UP, Guns Down!!
Coaches Victor & Stephanie Lashley

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