Dealing with the reasons

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Gangs In LA
Jordan Escobar

           

Violence consisting of gangs and drugs can be noted in mostly all places around the world. In North America gang violence is occurring the most in the heart of California. “The County and City of Los Angeles are the “gang capital” of the U.S nation.”(Delgadillo) Violence is the culture in gang activity, anybody in the area is fair game, including men, women and children. Once, gang members used chains, and knives, they now use shotguns, automatic rifles, handguns and explosives. Once, victims of gang violence were rival gang members. Now they are often innocent bystanders killed or injured by stray bullets. Small communities are being harassed by gang wars and drug extortion that innocent people are becoming victims to, such as children raised with gang culture around, business in drug distribution with young teens, and streets that need to work as a community to fix the problem, the best way to solve the problem would have to be start at birth which is the children and give the “role model” that is needed to raise the future of the communities.

Gangs often form along ethnic and racial lines, although there is an increasing trend of young people joining gangs for brotherhood in a way because of no guidance of parents and protection. In Latino gangs the homicides that occur the most or are the usual street stories are the initiation of going into manhood and respect from the elder gang members. The office of justice states that “Those that are gang–involved tend to be motivated by mutual antagonism with rival gang members, disputes over territory or turf, a desire to show fearlessness or loyalty to the group, an effort to promote one’s social status or self–image, or retaliation against real or perceived disrespect or insults.”(Brotherton) The reason to know this is that not all gangs think the same way, eventhough the media depicts the gangs as killing machines and kill everyone there are many factors on which why it all starts and the main conflicts with other rival gangs. “Much of the violence springs from rivalries between black and Latino gangs, especially in neighborhoods where the black population has been declining and the Latino population surging.” (Archibold) Since there is not much support with the image children are being faced with young teens are seeing this violence as a form of protection for themselves which can be understandable when there is no support of media showing positive outcomes from there neighborhoods.
From these racial hate crimes that emerge a lot of protection is needed for the community living through the war zone and innocent kids are even involved with the racial hate. With having a disorganized community with not much support of the city departments gangs take control in there own way.“In Harbor Gateway, the neighborhood where Cheryl Green was killed, tension had grown so severe that blacks and Latinos formed a dividing line on a street that both sides understood never to cross and a small market was unofficially declared off-limits to blacks. Ms. Lovett had warned her children not to go near the line, 206th Street, but Cheryl had ridden her scooter near it to talk to friends when she was shot.”(Archibold) The hatred that the gangs has made for each other is unbearable for many innocent people and are living life with fear because of racism between minorities which should be minorities helping each other go forward in life. The problem with young kids living in gang infested neighborhoods is the reason to join the gang become even higher with there surrondings. “Children may be living in fear on a daily basis and see joining a gang as a solution to problems.” (Brotheron) As the saying goes if you can not beat them, join them is a common saying many kids would try to go for when joining a famil of protection and a form of brotherhood, when in reality it is all corrupted with how the gangs are ran with corrupted cops, and a corrupted community council that can show no hope, but come to help when there is someone dead.

As the years go by there is always a drop and a rise in gang violence, its as if there is no control of sustainability with the people in it and there actions. According to the Spergel model, which is a project made to reduce gang violence in small communities “Gang problems result from the interaction of sociological, demographic, economic, and cultural factors along with social instability and lack of economic opportunity.”(casa) How this project is trying to fix the problem with gangs is by incorporating the youth and the reasons on why they have joined a gang. The model focuses on providing them with support services by involving their families, local organizations, and communities. With having this solution for young teens and kids that are surrounded by gang influence, this can help letting people know that being involved in gangs is not the only option for them. Although researchers noted very small changes in the communities with kids going to school and suspensions in the schools, most were not gang violence that were caused in the streets. The other solution that is going through is by taking away the power of the gangs. City Attorney Delgadillo advocated by “removing the gangs' monetary power by filing civil suits against them for damages they cause to neighborhoods and then using the settlement money to improve those neighborhoods.”(Delgadillo) He said he currently has a bill pending that would allow him to file civil suits against gangs. Both solutions are being incorporated with different approaches to gang violence, but the most important matter is that the kids should live in a safe area with a balance of strict LAPD force but also mentoring with community volunteers or programs that would satisfy psychological needs for kids that need a positive role model to live by. 

Today, gang-related homicides are at an all time low. Many gang members have found themselves in jail due to a huge police focus on reducing the crime rate. At the same time, there has not been a large decrease in the number of gangs. Today, the political nature of gangs has been completely lost. For many people, gangs fill some sense of family or belonging that was missing in their life, however, it has come at a price. Gangs have had a destructive effect on the community. They have torn apart communities rather than build unity. The media has glorified and created an image of gang members as heroes and survivors. But most people that have been touched by gang violence in their own personal lives and know that there are ways to receive help and help others in this problematic situation.  The support that one gives to a community helps more than justifying and making the community resemble a place of no hope when in reality it just needs a helping hand to the innocent children that are affected by the people that did not receive the same help.