What can we do to stop the growth of, and violence associated with, street gangs?

Question

Throughout the world, dangerous street gangs have emerged as a major threat to community safety and now represent one of the most challenging criminal justice issues we face today.

Various prescriptions have been offered and implemented to deal with gangs, including additional investments in prevention and diversion programs, stiffer sentences for gang-related crimes and more aggressive police suppression efforts, yet the problem continues to grow and claim a future generation of at-risk youth.

Please share your thoughts in respect to what is driving the problem of street gangs, and what we can do to stem both their growth and the damage they cause in our communities.

Answer 1

There are several different "Fuels" driving this engine of destruction:

1. Drug trade and profits

2. Prostitution trade and profits

3. Peer pressure, and the glamouizing of gang life throught the media.

4. Lack of ADEQUATE prevention programs aimed at youth in grade school and high school.

5. Lack of adequate ROLE MODELS for youth to emmulate.

6. Lack of educational opportunities for minority youth after High school.

7. "Warehousing" of inmates who are convicted of gang crimes in prison. Prison has become a school to help convicts become better criminals. Programs need to be in place in the prison to help inmates choose a different lifestyle after they are released...(and most of them eventually ARE).

Answer 2

Many districts are going for a gun ban to curb the gang violence. That is the wrong way to go. To deter, the use of guns more guns need to be available for the average joe. If a gang member, or any other criminal for that matter, knows that everyone has a gun they most likely think twice before performing a criminal act.

Also we need to toughen up our criminal justice system. Right now when we say "Life" it actually means 25 years then parole which seems to me a little sparse when it is compared to the crime they committed. Toughened up sentences would strike fear into the gangs.

Answer 3

While the politically correct idea is to look at why they are committing the crimes and provide alternatives for them, but unfortunately we live in a society that has been de-sensitized to violence and the gang lifestyle. Unfortunately, the entertainment world has glorified gangsters and the lifestyle. Compound that to the "I want it now" philosophy and lack of work ethic in youths you get what we are getting.

There is no sure fire why to solve this problem. Ive always considered myself way-left and very liberal but when it comes to gang violence we should 1. have very stiff mandatory sentences 2. give the police more liberties and resources  3. the police/govt should not be pressured by perceived "racism". They should be allowed cameras, copters, more presence, whatever they need in the high crime/gang areas. 4. lower the young offenders age    5. pressure the entertainment/sports world to get involved.   . no offense but many portray the gang lifestyle as "cool" ..That shouldn't be.  

Answer 4

The main reason people seek affiliation with street gangs is because they are seeking a feeling of belonging and acceptance. We need to be offering youth supports, activities and groups that foster these feelings. By the time kids reach the age of 13, something like 65% drop out of sports and extracurricular activities they enjoyed when they were younger. The number 1 reason for this is because as they get older, there is increasing pressure to excel. Usually, opportunities only exist for the best (e.g., you only get to join/belong if you make it in try-outs/auditions), rather than those who just enjoy doing the activity for the joy of doing it. Youth need to be able to participate in socially acceptable activities in ways that allow them to be themselves and enjoy being part of the group. These groups need to be facilitated by supportive, encouraging and positive adults who appreciate young people for who they are.  

Answer 5

The biggest commonality regarding gangs is a sense of belonging and family and excitement; something to do. If there were more programs for at risk kids in at risk neighborhoods, and more education in schools about gangs and an emphasis on education, the gangs would eventually die out. Kids in the inner cities have no outlets, nothing else to do, come from broken homes and drugged out families (in some cases) and are ripe for the picking when they get into their teens. What is needed is a bigger attraction than gangs by way of programs and civic centers in neighborhoods that have none now,. e.g., South Central Los Angeles, and more education in schools with guest speakers from police and victims of gang attacks to come in and speak to the kids and no age is too young to learn the evils and consequence of gang activity. Music, art, photography, writing, sports, all those need to be highlighted to entice kids away from destructive influences of gangs.

Answer 6

Here in California, there are several areas that need to be addressed in order to stem the tide of gang violence. First off, we need to address the immigration problem that leads to undocumented non-citizen gang members on the street. This alone could get up to a third of these criminals off the street. Secondly, we need to be able to defend ourselves without all the loopholes in the law that defend criminals when a law abiding citizen takes up arms in self defense. We are teaching our society to be victims in these instances. Third, we need to clean up our schools by hiring officials who spend less time meeting and more time teaching. And by teaching, I mean teach things that matter: Responsibility, morals, character along with the curriculum. Start this at a young age. Give the teachers the ability to teach these things without having to worry about liberal parents who look for the smallest reason to complain about their kids "civil liberties". There was time when manners and courtesy went a long way. We need to bring those principles back. As for the incorrigible gang bangers, we should seek harsher sentencing for crimes with no leniency.

Answer 7

There are alot of comments I agree with here. First parents should be held more responsible. I understand that it would be extremely difficult raising children below the poverty level, but some of these parents want to blaim the police or the government. There needs to be more education for parents especially underage ones living in these envoironments.

Also I dont feel Hip Hop is the culprit, but if these kids want to be a part of this lifestyle....help them concentrate on the positive aspects. Like dance, singing, writing.....these kids cant be written off just because where they come from.

I feel they grow up in areas where they dont see enough hope and there only solution is to work 2 jobs and struggle or make easy money and be able to drive those expensive car, wear shiny jewllery, and find a family in these gangs who are more then happy to take them in. There needs to be more positive images and programs to show that they dont need to be from rich families and become lawyers to have a life.

Breaking up some of these housing complexes does seem like a good idea....but then you will get the middle class complaining. But if their surrounding are different and they exposed to something other then violence and poverty...then they may just feel they deserve that too.

Answer 8

The growth of street gangs stems directly from two root family causes: the decline of fathers and faith in children's lives.

While these are not politically fashionable reasons, nor is there a solution that any government or agency can address, the statistics overwhelmingly support this statement.

No matter what the economic situation of a family, no matter what race or ethnicity or nationality or any other condition, children from families with fathers and with some faith-based moral guidance overwhelmingly do not produce teens who join gangs.    

The epidemic in our society is men who do not fulfill their paternal obligations and women who do not select worthy men as mates. The solution? Well, it's not simple, but let's start by recognizing what the real problem is and stop glorifying single parenthood.  

Answer 9

If gangs are proliferating, laws are inadequate. Some say poverty causes it - BS. I was a FT working single parent & shopped in 2nd-hand stores and, unfortunately, did not have a great deal of money for sports or other activities, except 1/year. My child resolved to do well in school for my child saw the alternative and did not like it.This leads me to believe that it is a conscious effort to get involved in gangs, BUT when gangs are prevalent enough, some join for safety reasons. Only heavy-handed treatment - to go in and physically remove guns/money/drugs - from these youth will work and we don't have the laws that allow that, so proliferation continues.

Answer 10

the real key to ending some of this violence, and gang activity is to give young men and women something to aspire to achieve, that is greater than any gang.  The attraction to gang life style includes physical safety, financial stability, and a support network.  

Prevention and diversion programs are great, but until a person's reality changes (concerning $ safety, and support) they will resort to the easy way to achieving these goals.  The real effort should fall into ensuring equal opportunity to achieve, financially, academically, and socially for everybody.  This may not be a popular answer because it will not immediate significant impact, but it will improve gradually.

Answer 11

Remove (or at least reduce) the number of factors that encourage the continued existence and growth of organized crime. The U.S. governments needs to improve the schools in poor neighborhoods and provide more help for families struggling financially. The prison system needs to be completely reformed, with the goal being to better reintegrate prisoners into society. We need to reduce the number of prisoners and increase the number of prison guards and security, so that prisoners do not join gangs for their own safety. Outside of prison, law enforcement should go after gangs much more vigorously.

I could go on in much more detail but I doubt it'd be read, so I'll leave it short. You must also remember that some people are just drawn to the life of crime. I'm sure most are drawn out of the believed necessity of it.

Answer 12

As you know there is no easy solution and many factors that contribute to this problem.  Poverty, not being successful in academics, poor supervision, pressure brought upon being born into a family that already has a history of gang involvement, genetic predisposition to drug usage, etc. are some of the factors associated with this problem.  

Helping them at an early age in their academics, educating the parents by giving them as much assistance as possible in effective parenting skills, offering extracurricular activities, offering them social skills training and self-esteem/assertiveness training, giving stiffer sentences that include community service such as cleaning up their city which they might have been tagging and counseling services to deal with some of the issues that they may be dealing with.  Some type of spiritual counseling would also be very beneficial.  Sometimes it also helps when law enforcement officials counsel them and offer them alternatives so that they can see that they care and that they are not their enemies.

Answer 13

The root of the problem lies in the heart.  And what is needed in these kids is a change of heart.  So the problem has to be dealt with at that level.  Programs which try to reach the kids aren't going to help, because the foundation isn't there for there for them in their homes.  

The police can't do everything.  The communities are going to have stop tolerating this behavior and the police need to help the communities to find ways to do bring pressure to bear on these kids.

Churches need to get involved in helping to give these kids better educational opportunities and cultural ones, even creating schools outside of the mainstream if necessary.

But if the adults of the communities don't begin to invest and help the parents to invest in the children, all the programs and diversions won't help a l**k.  

Answer 14

I am sorry to say that I think the problem is one of society.

Because of a lack of knowledge in the area of general life skills, healthy boundaries, personal rights and responsibilities, coping with feelings, healthy self esteem, we have generation of generation of dysfunctional people that turn to addictions to escape, and create more chaos.

For so long, the deterent used for negative behaviors has been shame and guilt. Even today MADD wants to publish pictures of offenders. Is shame going to make our society better? I don't think so.

We need to encourage and reward positive behavior in children,teach them life skills-rational thinking, effective communication, and most importantly how to cope with feelings.

If the parents are not capable of providing a healthy enviroment- the community needs to do so, with centers where kids can learn and grow in a better enviroment, learn they are valued, belong and important members of society,develop confident healthy citizens to join together and help make this world a better place through love,respect, spirituality.

Give them hope for the future, and break the cycle.

Answer 15

Although you can start by hiring more police, conducting more raids, and handing down more sentences, it all means nothing if you don't have courts and judges who will actually enforce the penalties. It's all about the greater good. Society has a right to be safe, and if youth are engaging in behaviour that threatens the greater good, they need to be dealt with objectively and firmly.

Answer 16

A large percentage of the gang members are not Canadian citizens and they should face immediate deportation when convicted of a crime in this country. It would be a much greater deterrent if the entire family of a convicted gang member faced deportation as it would give the family a good incentive to stop their family members from joining street gangs in the first place. Gun laws need to be completely rewritten giving mandatory prison terms for simple possession of handguns etc.

Mandatory prison sentences of at least 10 years with no bail provisions or reduced sentencing for time served or early parole would send the right message.

Answer 17

Get rid of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and start making punishment fit the crime.   These kids know they stand little chance of suffering any meaningful consequences for their actions, so there is no deterrent.   The tall foreheads, deep thinkers and guilt-ridden liberals who live their lives in gated or "exclusive" communities largely shielded from the tragic effects of our "hug a thug" justice system have found it easy to embrace such a system on our behalf.   When  I was a teenager, consequences for such behaviour were swift, and certain, not only from the police, but from my parents.   While punishing me as an offender may or may not have deterred others, I can assure you it certainly deterred me.   I truly have "been there, done that, and got the t-shirt".

Answer 18

The street gangs of today are not that much different from organized crime groups during the Prohibition years in USA.  

And the way to decrease this organized crime now is the same as it was during those Prohibitions years.  End the Prohibition of drugs.  The money will dry up for the street gangs.  And members of street gangs will need to look for some other gainful employment.

Street gangs arise because of widespread disagreement in society about criminal laws.  When a substantial part of the population disagrees with the criminalization of drugs.  Then some of them will break these laws in an organized way.  While others will help and assist them.

Criminal laws work well only when there is widespread consensus in society about these laws.  But when the law makes a substantial part  of the population criminals.  Then some of these people will naturally organize themselves and resist the law in an organized way.

True democracy is the rule by the majority with respect for minorities.  And when the majority refuses to respect a substantial minority.  Then you end up with a never-ending conflict in society and organized resistance by the minority against the majority.

Answer 19

One way to stop the gangs is to have more community involvement. Create more "educational" programs. All of the programs that are geared toward helping people are for young people. Yes, we need those but we also need programs to teach adults right from wrong, good choices from bad choices. We need to afford more opportunities for older people. When you are young you are not ready to do the right thing, when you get older and more settled, the the world figures you should know more but alot of people don't.  Help should be offered to older people so they can do a better job of influencing someone younger they may come in contact with.

Answer 20

Actually, police forces let gangs and organized crime do as they please to be able to gather enough evidence to jail the big guys. So in the mean time, people are intimidated, extorsion goes on and so on.

Hence, criminality serves the purposes of the glory of police officials when they occasionally are able to hit the big guys and stop a major drug transaction...You know...All the hoopla that will make the news and press conference.

That has to stop. Police forces need to act in the here and now, be present in good numbers, show that, today and right now they are THERE to SERVE and PROTECT... Simple problem...Simple solution... if the're are no possibility for criminality on the field then there will be no big guys to profit from it.

Answer 21

Street Gangs have emerged from the Ghetto influences from the United States which have produced specific areas which are full of gangs. Most gangs priorities are the to survive in situations which show many hardship such as poor families , lack of money etc. Without outside help or limited help in terms of support people start to rebel to show there mark, they think the world is against them , including the powers of authority who the gangs think wont help them.

Preventing these things needs to be reached at the root of the problem, these gangs need to be part of the community instead of against, more oppurtunities should be made for those who resort to gangs. The message needs to be sent out that being part of the world is ''cool'' instead of being against.

Young people feel threats of the world and realise strength is in numbers but the gang members need to realise this means being part of the community rather than seperate break offs.

The gangs need to be assured that they are safe so they don't retaliate with there own violence to what they fear.

Answer 22

I have watched our society and streets turn increasingly violent and dangerous, not just at night but anytime during the day as well.

I believe the removal of all Christianity from our schools and public buildings has created a huge void in our young people 's lives.

The basics of morality and integrity have been lost and I find the parents of young people do not seem to have any back-bone or ability to discipline their kids and make them realize that they are not the only one in the world and they need to be aware of others in society to treat with respect, although most don't even treat their own parents with this same respect, only their "boys".

Stiffer gun laws would definitely help, 5 years jail just getting caught with a gun or knife whether a crime is committed or not, that should be a deterrent.

I moved further out of the city for safety and peace of mind.

Answer 23

There has to be a concentrated thrust, hit and arrest to get drugs off the streets. The arrests must lead to greater prison terms, also the use of boot camps. Our present criminal system requires a complete restructuring where the crime fits the time, also the confiscation of all property and assets.

Ther police do an excellent job but are confounded and frustrated after the courts have dealt out mild and minor sentences for major crimes.

Parental discipline is sadly lacking. Children need to be taught right from wrong from an early age control and this should be continued until they of adult age. Schools are also guilty they have a part to play in supporting parents. The schools I have visited show a complete lack of authority regarding the behaviour of students in the class room, corridors and school grounds. The entire matter off street gangs has to be met with force and a determination to clear our streets of out of hand thugs.

Answer 24

Throw in the Federal Prison so they have no contact with anyone from the streets again.  Couple that with a comprehensive program of making sure the yound kids in the ghettos are in school and in mandetory after school programs.  Round up all gang members in the streets and give them a choice:  School/Education or prison.  If they chose school, then move them out of the neighborhood and city to bording schools.  Make sure the Mexican gangs like MS13 are not allowed easy access to the streets and neighborhoods where they are predators. In other words stop them at the borders.  

It has to be a comprehensive approach to get to the kids before they are picked up by the gangs.  And, you have to get to the kids on a psychological level so they don't romanticize the gang life.  And, you have to get to the older gang members by cutting off their access to their neighborhoods and their fellow gang members so they can't make orders from prison.  

Answer 25

Like most difficult social/political questions about violence and crime... I believe the answer is about investment (time and money). No problem that has developed and worsened over such a long time is going to be solved overnight. To decrease the violence of street gangs requires decreasing the strength of the gangs. To decrease the strength of street gangs requires decreasing the attractiveness of gangs to younger children and siblings of gang members. Skate and bike parks, YMCAs, legal drag racing locations... find the things that kids would REALLY like to be doing and make it easier for them to do. You can't take something as strong as gangs out of a culture (or a neighborhood) without replacing it. Gangs are social and financial - a deeply embeded piece of culture in lower-income areas. If kids are given alternative legal hobbies that provide entertainment, income and socialization (like cars), they will opt for them. The key is give before we take away... and be prepared for a solution that may take a few years. Don't give up on a solution because it won't show change in one political term!

Answer 26

There should be some criminal liability for the parents of juvenile criminals.  Even if the punishment is just to compel them to attend parenting classes.  But primarily, the problem is that there is no downside to being a juvenile criminal.  There simply is no possibility that any meaningful justice is ever meted out to juvenile criminals.  Sometimes punishment can be rehabilitative.  The system of rehabilitation for juveniles is completely inapplicable as relates to some of the violent and depraved crimes some are committing.  The guilty ask for mercy but the victims scream for justice.  The law should cut out some obvious exceptions to "rehabilitive" justice when the crimes are too heinous to rationalize.

Answer 27

The problem with this question is that even if everyone contributes to answering it no one is going to give you a definitive answer. In my personal opinion we need to see street gangs from both the members point of veiw and from society's point view. Society is quick to condemn and say zero tolerance without thinking of the larger picture. It is a fact that not all prevention and diversion programs are successful, but are the efforts truly there by the people involved in these communities. We need to really not just target young people and root them to the problem, we need to develop strategies where younger and older generations are both taking action to solve the problem. You can't do it by simply targeting one social group, it just futher alienates and widens the gap.  

Answer 28

In Canada, many of the gangs talked about around Southern Ontario and Quebec are made up of immigrants from Asia,Vietnam etc....I would deport these people involved immediately.

I think Immigration Canada should be made more responsible for the choice of people it is allowing into the country and all new immigrants should be on a type of probation for the first 5 yrs of their arrival so that if they become career criminals etc....Canada can deport them without years of court hearings.

I think the government should allow special privileges to police concerning search and seizure,apprehension and arrest of known gang members.

I think unwed teen mothers should not be catered to but be forced  to fend for themselves and make a living.No school day care,no government funder courses etc....Let them suffer the consequences of their actions.That way their situation will be a deterrent to other young women.

Answer 29

Society glorifies violence in rap music, playstation, xbox games and hollywood movies.  Is it really any wonder that these poor uneducated people turn to drugs and violence to get their needs met?  What other role models to they have?  The street gangs are just trying to survive underground.  They feel powerless and feel that guns give them the power they feel they need.  

Gangs also need to belong to a group.  Gangs are groups that give them a false sense of acceptance and belonging; false because the love is totally conditional.  They are not accepted for being themselves, but for being part of the group and generating crime.  

Guns & drugs are too easily available.  

We need more social programs for teens.  More opportunities to get them off the streets and into the work force.  

We need to empower our youth with government funded opportunities to learn trades and get hem off the streets as early as possible or prevent them from ever getting on the streets.  

  

Answer 30

I think for a long time, law enforcement and the justice system have been attacking the symptoms of the problem instead of getting to the root of it.

There are laws against murder, yet people still murder each other every day.

While there are some aspects of our legal system that could be improved (like getting rid of the Young Offender's Act), most attempts to attack the symptoms of gang violence (such as increased police presence, stiffer jail sentences, etc.) have failed miserably.

I think to truly get rid of gang violence, it is important to acknowledge that most gang members don't do what they do because they like it, they do it because they have been forced into poverty, had no other choice but to make money through crime, and that they grow up knowing nothing else.

Think about it. If you grew up in a crappy part of the city with parents who don't care about you, you would want to leave for greener pastures right? And what's the easiest way to do that? Dodge other gang members on your way to McDonald's every day where you make 8 dollars an hour? Or join a gang yourself, which would at least offer you SOME protection against the thugs in your neighbourhood, as well as an income. How does $1000 a week selling drugs sound? Better than a job at McDonald's right? For those of you who would read this and say, "I don't care how dire the circumstances, I would never sell drugs." Well that is easy to say while living in a cozy home in the suburbs. It's really pointless to say anything like this, considering you have never lived in a ghetto.

Areas like Regent Park in Toronto are a good example of a marginalized community. The poverty has been pushed there, because to have an upper and middle class, you have to have a lower class. And what are these people in Regent Park supposed to do without the financial, emotional and physical assistance of people like us (those more fortunate)? Turning to crime is an obvious and predictable progression for them.

Imagine you live in a ghetto. You want to go to school, but on your way to and from it, you get robbed or beaten up or worse. You don't want to sell drugs or hurt other people, but on your way to your crappy "honest" job, you get robbed or beaten up or worse. You would have no other option but to join one of these gangs or suffer miserably. Even if you wanted to move, how are you going to accomplish that without any money?

It seems people want gang violence to go away, but at the same time, they don't want to hear about issues of poverty and what we can do to help. The only time they truly care is when it spills over into "their world." I was deeply shocked and saddened by the death of Jane Creba, an innocent bystander in Toronto who walked into the path of a stray bullet during a gang shootout on a busy street in broad daylight. People were outraged, and the news made the front page, but only because she was a 15-year-old white girl. All the deaths of blacks and hispanics can usually be found in the middle of your local newspaper. In other words, we don't mind gang members killing other gang members, as long as they stay away from us. What kind of way is that to think about other human beings?

I think the only way to truly get rid of gang violence (if it is actually possible) is for people to start caring about these places (like Regent Park) and actively get involved with helping them get their lives together. They need financial and educational assistance to find a way out of their rut. So where's it going to come from? That's the big question?

Why is our prime minister busy helping Bush's war in Iraq, when we have a war in every single city of our own country?

Answer 31

Perhaps an Advertising program to show how these type of people are losers and punks.  Show the youth that this type of life is not for them. Show some of these punks as failed graduates of a clown school.

On the legal side how about making the provider of illegal gun equally responsible for the crimes committed with the guns they sold.   A couple of convictions of this type will dry up the gun supply pretty quickly I would guess.

If these people are from other countries and commit crimes here, deportation should be done immediately after serving their sentences.

If a gang member is in public housing and they are convicted they should not be allowed into public housing in the future.