HOW DO YOU USE THE CRISS-CROSS STUDY GUIDE?

This was designed to be a study aide. It saves you the step of actually reading all the session descriptions. If you read the session descriptions (https://ngcrc.com/courses.html), you will see each course being taught at the NGCRC Gang Training Conference (August 4 - Aug. 6, 2025) has consistent data elements such as: title, duration, session credits, abstract, bio. And in that order.

We recommend reading each and every course offering and having the registered trainee make the decision “do I want to attend this session?”. Because in reading all of the courses or sessions you will read the abstracts and the bios. We certainly recommend that if you want to increase your professional networking contacts, that you closely study also the bios also listed at the website: copy this url to your browser: https://ngcrc.com/presenters.html

You do not have enough time in three days to attend over 100 courses, so you need to make decisions.

The first decision you need to make if you are registered for Certification is what courses you want to take in your track area. In the file describing the courses at the website (copy this url to your browser: https://ngcrc.com/courses.html), you will find a data element called “Session Credits”, this is where you find out if the course gives credit for your track. If your track is listed under the session credits for a particular course or session, then that course or session gives credit for your track. You need to accumulate a minimum of N = 4 hours in your track specialty area. That is not hard to do. You have to pick and choose what you want to attend.

So if you did not want to study the courses, just use the “Criss-Cross Study Guide”. Look up your track on the Criss-Cross Study Guide, and it will reveal what session numbers give credit for your track, and the number of hours that specific course provides.

Here is an example: assume you signed up for Gang Crime Investigation Skills as your track. You will see all kinds of sessions listed for that track on the Criss-Cross Study Guide, starting from Session #1 which is two (2) hours in length, and goes on and on, there are nearly fifty courses that give session credits for this track. So when you see the digits “1 (2)”, and that these data elements are always separated by a semicolon “;”, so that means Session #1 in the course listings gives two (2) hours of credit for this track. Similarly, Session #2 gives 1.5 hours of credit for this course. And session #3 provides two (2) hours of credit for this track. So if you just completed the first three listings you would have completed your minimum requirement of accumulating at least four (4) hours in your track area. All of the courses are listed sequentially by session number in ascending order, from #1 to beyond #100, in the “courses” section we recommend you study at the website.

Once you get to the conference, you will find a book in your goody bag that is like a printed version of the “COURSES” listing at the NGCRC website. It is the grey book: specifically identified as Volume 32, Number 3, Spring 2025 issue of the Journal of Gang Research. It has the full course descriptions in print, those we knew about prior to going to press in the Spring, of course; newly added courses would not be printed in the Vol. 32, No. 3 issue, you would need to check at the website for updates.

The training program requires you accumulate a total of 24 hours of training. Within that 24 hours of training, 4 of them need to be in your track area. You can spend the other 20 hours as electives: concentrating in your track area, or any other area you are eligible to enroll in (only criminal justice personnel can enroll in the Motorcycle Gang track). If you are a Double Major, you need four hours in each of the two tracks, leaving 16 hours of “electives”: you can spend those 16 hours in any of the courses you are eligible to attend (note that a small number of the courses restrict attendance to police officers).

You do not need any of this information if you are registered for Non-Certification. This information is useful only if you are registered for Certification.

Example of use of the criss-cross study guide, this is what track #1 looks like in the criss-cross study guide:

(1) Gang Crime Investigation Skills Track (T74): 1 (2); 2 (1); 3 (2); 4 (2); 5 (3); 8 (1); 9 (2); 10 (1); 12 (1); 13 (4); 15 (1); 19 (2); 20 (2); 21 (2); 22 (1); 24 (2); 26 (1.5); 27 (1); 28 (2); 31 (1); 32 (1); 33 (1); 34 (2); 36 (1); 37 (2); 39 (4); 41 (2); 43 (2); 49 (1); 53 (2); 54 (1); 55 (1); 56 (2); 59 (1); 61 (1); 63 (2); 64 (3); 65 (1); 66 (1); 71 (2); 74 (2); 75 (1); 77 (1); 79 (2); 80 (1.5);

The “T-Code” means the total hours available in that track to select from. You only need a minimum of four hours in your track. You can spend the remaining hours in anything you want to. The “(T74)” code at the end of the track listing means the total number of training hours available for this training track. You need to complete 24 hours of training if you are registered for certification, four hours of which need to be in your selected track specialty area.

The T-code of “(T74)” means there are 74 hours to pick from among all the sessions that give credit for this track.

The sequence of numbers after the track name are different session numbers that give credit for this track, and the number in parentheses means the number of hours in duration for that particular session. For example “1 (2)” in the example shows that session number 1 gives credit for this track and that it is a two hour session.

The Criss-Cross Study Guide:

The Listing of Sessions that give credit for specific training tracks.

This classifies sessions #1 thru #80 by Track (training sessions/courses that give credit for that track).

Last updated: Feb. 20, 2025

(2) Dealing With Gang Members in Probation/Parole Track (T23.5): 3 (2); 7 (1); 10 (1); 14 (1); 18 (1); 21 (2); 25 (1); 30 (2); 31 (1); 33 (1); 41 (2); 42 (1); 49 (1); 50 (2); 51 (1); 72 (2); 73 (1.5);

(3) Gang Homicide Investigation Skills Track (T26.5): 1 (2); 4 (2); 5 (3); 20 (2); 24 (2); 28 (2); 34 (2); 37 (2); 56 (2); 64 (3); 71 (2); 77 (1); 80 (1.5);

(4) Gangs and Drugs Track (T39.5): 1 (2); 4 (2); 6 (1); 10 (1); 12 (1); 14 (1); 15 (1); 18 (1); 19 (2); 22 (1); 24 (2); 25 (1); 27 (1); 31 (1); 32 (1); 34 (2); 36 (1); 37 (2); 42 (1); 43 (2); 46 (1); 49 (1); 54 (1); 56 (2); 64 (3); 71 (2); 74 (2); 79 (2); 80 (1.5);

(5) Gang Problems in K-12 Schools Track (10.5): 17 (1); 45 (1); 47 (2); 52 (1); 62 (2); 72 (2); 73 (1.5);

(6) Gangs and Organized Crime Track (T31.5): 3 (2); 4 (2); 8 (1); 9 (2); 13 (4); 20 (2); 21 (2); 26 (1.5); 34 (2); 39 (4); 41 (2); 59 (1); 67 (1); 74 (2); 75 (1); 79 (2);

(7) Gangs and Mental Health Track (T28): 2 (1); 7 (1); 14 (1); 15 (1); 16 (1); 17 (1); 18 (1); 19 (2); 25 (1); 27 (1); 30 (2); 32 (1); 36 (1); 40 (1); 42 (1); 43 (2); 45 (1); 46 (1); 47 (2); 50 (2); 52 (1); 61 (1); 69 (1);

(8) Gang Interview/Interrogation Skills Track (T19.5): 3 (2); 20 (2); 21 (2); 24 (2); 37 (2); 41 (2); 55 (1); 64 (3); 71 (2); 80 (1.5);

(9) Gang Internet Investigation Track (T14.5):12 (1); 15 (1); 19 (2); 24 (2); 27 (1); 36 (1); 43 (2); 66 (1); 74 (2); 80 (1.5);

(10) Management Skills for Gang Outreach, Prevention, and Intervention Services Track (T15): 7 (1); 16 (1); 23 (1); 29 (1); 30 (2); 38 (1); 50 (2); 57 (1); 60 (1); 70 (1); 72 (2); 76 (1);

(11) Gang Outreach and Intervention Skills Track (T17): 6 (1); 7 (1); 17 (1); 30 (2); 38 (1); 40 (1); 47 (2); 50 (2); 52 (1); 60 (1); 70 (1); 72 (2); 76 (1);

(12) Management and Supervision Skills for Gang Specialists Track (T24): 3 (2); 7 (1); 11 (1); 16 (1); 21 (2); 23 (1); 29 (1); 30 (2); 32 (1); 41 (2); 45 (1); 50 (2); 57 (1); 60 (1); 61 (1); 62 (2); 69 (1); 76 (1);

(13) Corrections Gang/STG Intelligence Track (T26): 3 (2); 7 (1); 10 (1); 14 (1); 18 (1); 21 (2); 22 (1); 25 (1); 30 (2); 32 (1); 41 (2); 42 (1); 44 (1); 46 (1); 48 (1); 49 (1); 50 (2); 68 (1); 69 (1); 79 (2);

(14) Domestic Counter-Terrorism Skills (T11.5): 1 (2); 26 (1.5); 32 (1); 34 (2); 53 (2); 56 (2); 75 (1);

(15) Motorcycle Gangs (restricted: for Criminal Justice Personnel only) Track (T5): 9 (2); 63 (2); 65 (1);

(16) Dealing With Gangs in Juvenile Correctional Facilities Track (T19.5): 3 (2); 11 (1); 17 (1); 21 (2); 33 (1); 41 (2); 44 (1); 46 (1); 47 (2); 48 (1); 52 (1); 68 (1); 72 (2); 73 (1.5);

(17) Gang and Violence Prevention Skills for School Administrators Track (T10): 6 (1); 16 (1); 17 (1); 23 (1); 35 (1); 47 (2); 52 (1); 68 (1); 78 (1);

(18) Gang Counseling Skills Track (T15.5): 7 (1); 17 (1); 35 (1); 38 (1); 40 (1); 45 (1); 47 (2); 50 (2); 52 (1); 72 (2); 73 (1.5); 78 (1);

(19) Advanced Gang Identification Track (T14): 2 (1); 12 (1); 15 (1); 19 (2); 27 (1); 28 (2); 36 (1); 40 (1); 43 (2); 53 (2);

(20) Gang Profile Analysis Track (T35.5): 11 (1); 12 (1); 13 (4); 14 (1); 15 (1); 18 (1); 19 (2); 25 (1); 26 (1.5); 27 (1); 32 (1); 36 (1); 39 (4); 42 (1); 43 (2); 44 (1); 46 (1); 48 (1); 53 (2); 54 (1); 65 (1); 66 (1); 67 (1); 74 (2); 75 (1); 79 (2);

(21) Gang Prosecution Track (T31.5): 3 (2); 4 (2); 5 (3); 9 (2); 21 (2); 22 (1); 24 (2); 28 (2); 32 (1); 33 (1); 37 (2); 41 (2); 64 (3); 71 (2); 74 (2); 77 (1); 79 (2); 80 (1.5);

(22) Gang Prevention Skills Track (T22.5): 6 (1); 7 (1); 17 (1); 30 (2); 35 (1); 38 (1); 40 (1); 45 (1); 47 (2); 50 (2); 52 (1); 57 (1); 60 (1); 69 (1); 72 (2); 73 (1.5); 76 (1); 78 (1);

(23) International and Transnational Gang Problems Track (T31.5): 1 (2); 8 (1); 11 (1); 13 (4); 26 (1.5); 32 (1); 34 (2); 39 (4); 44 (1); 48 (1); 54 (1); 56 (2); 59 (1); 63 (2); 65 (1); 66 (1); 74 (2); 75 (1); 79 (2);

(24) Hate Groups/White Racist Extremist Gangs Track (T13): 11 (1); 14 (1); 18 (1); 25 (1); 32 (1); 42 (1); 44 (1); 46 (1); 48 (1); 53 (2); 79 (2);

(25) Officer Safety Skills in Dealing With Gangs Track (T22): 3 (2); 9 (2); 10 (1); 14 (1); 18 (1); 20 (2); 21 (2); 25 (1); 30 (2); 31 (1); 41 (2); 42 (1); 46 (1); 49 (1); 55 (1); 61 (1);

(26) Asian Gangs and High Tech Gang Crimes Track (T9): 1 (2); 13 (4); 39 (4);

(27) Gangs and the Mass Media Track (T10): 2 (1); 12 (1); 15 (1); 19 (2); 23 (1); 27 (1); 36 (1); 43 (2);

(28) Graffiti Identification and Analysis Track (T11): 2 (1); 15 (1); 19 (2); 27 (1); 36 (1); 40 (1); 43 (2); 53 (2);

(29) Faith-Based Programs for Gang Intervention Track (T8): 16 (1); 17 (1); 38 (1); 47 (2); 52 (1); 72 (2);

(30) Gang Victim, Witness, and Survivor Service Track (T12.5): 7 (1); 20 (2); 62 (2); 64 (3); 67 (1); 69 (1); 70 (1); 80 (1.5);

Q & A about the “Study Guide”

Q: Do the digital video versions of sessions count towards the accumulation of my hours needed to collect certification?

A: Yes, the session numbers are indicated at the VIDEOPAGE so make sure you count them and rate them on your evaluation form. The link to the VIDEOPAGE is: https://ngcrc.com/videopage.html

Q: Are the courses listed at the VIDEOPAGE on the “schedule of events”?

A: No, you can access the videopage courses or sessions anytime you want prior to the conference. The VIDEOPAGE lists the digital training content. The schedule of events lists only live action face-to-face classroom based courses. All of the digital courses count if they are listed as a session in the 2025 curriculum. If the digital course is listed at the VIDEOPAGE but is not listed in the curriculum as an approved session, then it is a video that cannot be viewed.

Q: Is it a good idea to print off this “study guide” and use it for making my preliminary selections of what courses to attend?

A: Yes.

Q: Could I spend my entire 24 hours of training picking only courses that offer credit for Gang Crime Investigation Skills?

A: Yes, as seen in this Study Guide, at the 2025 Conference the curriculum is so large in terms of session material on the schedule to pick from, that a person could easily spend their entire 24 hours by attending only sessions that offer credit in Gang Crime Investigation Skills. But if you selected the training track for Gang Crime Investigation Skills, your 2^nd certificate still only recognizes the minimum requirement that you spent at least four hours in your training track area.

Q: Could I spend my entire 24 hours of training picking only courses in any other tracks that are loaded like that found in Gang Crime Investigation Skills?

A: Yes, some tracks have more than 24 hours to pick from. If you add up the hours of credit, you can see from above, that these tracks offer more than 24 hours to pick from: Gangs and Mental Health; Management and Supervision Skills for Gang Specialists; Corrections Gang/STG Intelligence; Dealing With Gangs in Juvenile Correctional Facilities; Gang Prevention Skills; and Gang Profile Analysis.

Q: We have a somewhat new gang problem, its serious, so we are sending an officer to learn everything you offer about Gang Crime Investigation Skills, is there any advice you have?

A: Yes, you can see from the Criss Cross Study Guide for the 2025 NGCRC gang training conference that one officer could not possibly attend and benefit from all of the training sessions, as they have 24 hours to spend during the 3 day conference. You would need to send at least three (3) officers to be able to attend all of the training sessions, as there are 74 hours of training available in that training track - - - too much for one person to attend.