Gun Violence Information for Teens (GIFT)

GIFT educates teens about the legal consequences of gun possession and gun related violence as well as encourages them to make positive choices.

The program is collaboration between the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Probation Department and law enforcement.

GIFT focuses on the legal consequences of gun possession and gun related violence and the lifetime consequences of gun use. Facilitated by a prosecuting attorney, a defense attorney, and a probation officer, the presentation is interactive and involves photos, slides, case scenarios, personal stories and small group discussions. The attorneys discuss the laws that apply and the penalties of those laws, including unlawful possession of a weapon, assault, manslaughter and murder.  Also discussed are the concepts of accomplice liability and juvenile fitness hearings (juveniles being prosecuted as adults for their role in the commission of a crime).

The curriculum also encourages teens to consider options and choices available to them before they become involved in a situation involving guns.

For questions, please email YouthPrograms@sacda.org.

“Thank you all so much for taking the time to come to NP3 and talk to us.  I really appreciated your teenager-friendly approach.  I definitely felt as though you all were talking with us rather than at us.  It was also nice that you seemed to be able to understand our mindset and the way we think.  I would also like to thank you for asking for student opinions and reasoning and then teaching us what might be better.  For example, when you asked what we would do if we were told to hide a gun for a friend one student said he could see why that could happen but then you gave us other choices if we ever get put in a situation like that.  Thank you, truly for catering to us and educating us in such a way that we retained it.” – Student at NP3 Charter School

“Thank you so much for teaching us all those life lessons.  I thought it was a really good presentation and I liked how you got us involved.  I felt like I learned a lot that day on what to do and what not to do in a situation like that.  As a whole class I think we all learned that our life and future are at risk so we should be smarter about the choices we make as teenagers.  I feel you guys did an amazing job overall and you should do this with all high schools to show the importance of staying out of trouble.  I’m happy I was there to see it.” – Student at NP3 Charter School

“I wanted to thank you guys for taking your time to come in and teach us about crimes.  Everything I learned was new and interesting.  I’m glad I have those facts now because personally I am very interested in law and it really inspired me to see professionals come in and teach about it.  Not only did I just learn but what was said really opened my eyes in what committing a crime could do to you.  This made me think on how much of your life can be wasted if you commit a crime, so I’d like to be someone who is about justice in the future because I think it’s so important to know what it is to be a part of fighting for the law.” – Student at NP3 Charter School