What do you think is the best way to tackle gang activity ?

Question

I'm not really looking for pop culture ideas similar to treating them like terrorists...I want to read some orgional thoughts or proven affective measures. If possible please avoid:

1) Enforce the same laws as you would with terrorist organizations

2) Put more uniformed/undercover offficers in the areas that are suffer from gangs

Answer 1

ALL humans have two basic needs:

1. The need to love and be loved (family, friends, romantic, parental, sibling, etc.)

2. The need to feel worthwhile and to be seen as worthwhile.

We continually seek these needs either consciously or sub consciously and we may use positive or negatived behaviour in doing so.

So a gang member is really seeking those innate needs by exhibiting negative behavour in doing so.  For instance:

The first need I mentioned is being obtained by joining a gang.  A sense of belonging, a sense of being loved by gang members(friendship), adhering to a common code of conduct that looks out for each other, a common bond, etc.

The second need I mentioned is being obtained through  behaviour that gives you status among members: high risk ventures, winning fights with rival gangs, robbing stores, people, banks,  being recognized thru colours, patches, tattoos, intimidating and controlling neighbourhoods, protection rackets, etc.

In a normal society of law abiding citizens, all of the above is negative behaviour.  However, the gang doesn't see it that way because they are subconsciously defending their status quo as fiercely as possible to get their basic needs met.

This has been a rather long winded explanation. I needed to give you this background to get to your question.  I want to say right up front that I don't support gang behaviour. They should face the consequences of their behaviour thru the full extent of the law.

However, police, courts and prison seem to be the main focus in dealing with gang behaviour.  I don't see a lot of folks in the criminal justice system looking at the REAL reasons for joining a gang in the first place.  I'm not saying it should be the main focus, because some of these dudes are absolutely mean and vicious.  But perhaps trying to understand the initial causes may assist in developing a long term strategy.  It will take a combination of families, neighbourhoods, social agencies, the justice system and others to come up with a long term strategy to break the core of gang behaviour.

Answer 2

Gee this is very interesting, my buddy and I was just talking about this. We need to be able to create an environment the would allow the talents of these young people to be used positive. Now I know these is really not saying much but I am in deep thought about this and praying everyday of a way to reach out and help. If we can put more things in to place and stop procrastinating. Lets utilize the sources that we have and continue to enhance them, Lets get together and make this project work. Lives are at risk every second. This is a very strong Passion for me. Be Blessed.

Answer 3

We can start by closing the borders. That eliminates the importation of more gang bangers.

Second, we divide and conquer. Arrest the offenders, put them in separate places across the country, and put them through "therapy" or what have you until they find their own talents.

Thirdly, take the ones who  won't reform and give them a tent. Put criminal and said tent aboard a plane destined for Antarctica.

Answer 4

I've been reading some of these opinions.  I would like to briefly touch on a few.  

"More officers on the street":  You will not likely find a stronger supporter of more police manpower than I.  However, when the police strength grows, so will the gangs.  

"For most people gang activity is over by the time they are 30": This may be true for small gangs that are into small time drug dealing and petty theft.  This is not the case, however, for members of large gangs such as the Bloods, 9-0's, MS-13's, etc.

"Provide them with more opportunities to use their talent": This is a very tender notion and I wish I could believe that it would work.  The problem is that when you are spending 8 hours a day (as in school) with 13 and 14 year olds, they may tell you what you want to hear. Yet, when they go home to their single mother and 3 other siblings in a two bedroom apartment, they are more apt to choose gang life.  If nothing else, the idea of "easy money" is appealing to someone who cares about their family and wants them to have the best.  It's very hard to keep a child away from gang life when they see their 20 year old neighbor driving around in a Mercedes Benz and speaking to people with a second grade vocabulary.  Naturally the child will think "If he can do it, so can I."

Please do not misinterpret my response.  I want, as much as the next person, for children to see through gang life and become successful, hard working people of the community.  I really think that it all starts in the home.  Perhaps if children that live in high crime areas became involved with more extra curricular activties that they truely enjoy, there would be less room in their lives for the influences of gangs.  But, the key will be parental involvment.  There are tons of inner city schools who are deprived of funds and resources to keep these children out of trouble.  I know that there are a lot of kids who make it out of this kind of life, but there are also a lot who don't.  Also, I'm not judging any of the people that I quoted.  You all have very good outlooks on the situation.  Perhaps if we combine all of them, less children would slip through the cracks.

Thank you.

Answer 5

neutron bombs. hahahaha

Answer 6

It's just a life phase for some people. it's usually over by 30. there isn't really anything anyone can do ab out it.

Answer 7

Education, but not the way you are probably thinking.

We should provide them with skills. But one of the major reasons they are where they are is because they have rejected the American culture.

They would work hard to get something, but they don't believe it would help them. Why not?

Well, its because they continue to feel that the white race is holding them down, and would never let them get anywhere. But again, we arrive at the question, why?

Well, its because white people have essentially rejected them. They see this society as white-controlled (a rather accurate depiction still), and that white people don't accept them.

Let me ask you, what is the extent of your black education? Because mine consisted of four times total (one time for every year in high school) of watching the movie Glory and then reading a portion of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. That is the totality of my black education.

And the same is true of them. So when they look at the culture of America, they see a culture made for white people by white people. They have no pride in it, they had nothing to do with it. At least, that is what it looks like to them.

Black people have had huge impacts on our culture as a whole; in terms of food, music, literature, art, science, etc., they have done much for American culture. But no one ever hears of any of these achievements.

Because they feel they have no hand in the culture of America, they reject it. And they go and find their own culture. And they have found an amazing culture for those who ever bother to look at any of it.

The food, rap, R&B, blues, Tupac Shakur and Bo Diddley, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, Colin Powell and even Wayne Brady, they have done much.

But then when the time comes, white people come to them and say, "we gave you equality, we accepted that you could be just like us and excel in our culture. So why do you continue to cling to your own lesser culture." We, nor they, are shown how rap or blues has affected the music, how MLK and Malcolm X have affected the teachings and beliefs, etc. Everything is somehow lesser than white contributions.

And since they have no pride in what they are forced to be a part of, rather than shown why they are needed; they completely reject what has rejected them.

When we show that we as a culture value their contributions, and that we want more from them; they will begin to find a pride in themselves. And when they have pride in themselves and in their contributions to culture as a whole; they will leave the bad of their culture and bring the good of their culture to add to ours.

One of the worst ideas that has ever been propagated by our society is that we must get rid of other cultures; in the idea that if we let people see themselves as part of another culture they will feel no loyalty to our own. And that is not what America is about.

The idea and founding belief of our culture is that it takes people of all races, beliefs, values, etc. and takes the best of what they have to offer; and then blends it to make a single American culture that is strongest because it is a blending of the strongest parts of other cultures. It is the intertwining of separate good threads to make the single greatest rope that can not be broken.

Black culture can be the first one accepted, the first of many that will fully strengthen us to be the greatest.

Add-on:

This was my answer to another question that was very similar to yours.  Because of that, it may not fit the question exactly, but it does get across what I believe should be done and why.

When those in gangs gain pride in both their own race and in America as a whole, and they have been shown that it is not only possible to reach the top but has been done so many times before--then, and only then, will the aimless then aim for the top.

Answer 8

Bring back the stocks and put offenders in public areas.

Answer 9

They need better options. More jobs and opportunities. But since the economy is being destroyed, that's an unlikely solution. The best way is to arm and protect yourself, family and property. The cops can't come and save you faster than you could help yourself.

Answer 10

Manpower.Need more officers.That's the only way to get real results.

Answer 11

There sint much you can do when it comes to gangs. The police force doesnt have the man power to stay at a certain location to just aptrol and sty there.

Its the communites job to do that. Other than that the only way you can try to take down the gangs is by having the city have a Gang Injunction .

Meaning no gang member shal be out on the streets after 10 or they will be cited or arrested. Go to s city meating and bring it up. That what happened here in West Sacramento.

Answer 12

IMO, the question that must be posed before considering your question is, Why are these people in gangs in the first place?  

I think they should conduct a survey among known gang members, maybe through parole/probation offices.  (Ideally, this would be optional and anonymous for safety reasons.)  This survey should interrogate a person's background (offenses, childhood attitudes, religion, parents, grades in school, etc.) and their present offense.  (Immunity would be implied per double jeopardy protection.)

This survey should be analyzed through an independent company or organization. (Not Dept. of Justice.  It should have absolutely no conceivable conflict of interest.)  Once this analysis takes place, it's much easier to answer your question.

IMO, they shouldn't stop there.  They should do the same with child molesters, drug addicts, thieves, and all other offenders.  We have more than twice the prisoners as China, but they have 4 times the population.  USDOJ **needs** to start doing this **now** lest we continue taking funds away from natural disaster victims to pay for a "free" home for a pedo.

Answer 13

Whip them like they do in Singapore.

Answer 14

Longer prison sentences.

And prison sentences in prisons far away from the gang bangers' home state - let people from Miami serve time in Idaho.   In the middle of winter.