Solutions

As part of its crackdown on gangs, LA Police Chief William Bratton has broken with a four-decade tradition and is naming the gangs who've made the city the gang capital of America.
Critics say the decision is wrong. They say in the gang world, publicity if a badge of honor.
I don't agree.
To fight gangs you need to know your enemy. Gangs are not generic. One size definitely does not fit all.
In the notorious Casa Blanca neighborhood of Riverside, the Vagabundos and Devil Wolves may seem alike at first glance.
They are both Hispanic. They share the same square-mile neighborhood. But they've been killing each other for more than three decades.
Each gang shares common traits, yet each gang is unique. And if gangs like the attention, Bratton says so be it. He'll give them all the attention they want, not to mention prison time.
I think the more the public knows about their community the better.
What do you think?

Posted by Mark Petix at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Anyone who's reported on gangs and violence has heard this before. It may even be true.
But being a protective mother or father is no substitute for knowledge. Or action.
The DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has created a quick reference guide on the common signs your child may be involved in a gang.
Some are pretty obvious: your child admits to hanging with gang members, uses unsual hand signals to communicate with friends, draws gang symbols on school books, clothes or walls, has a gang tattoo or even carries a weapon.
It may just be a pose. It may not.
Good parenting is a key to prevention. COPS suggests spending time with your child and get involved with their school's activities.
Know you child's friends and their families. Teach your child how to handle peer pressure.
Be honest. Talk with them about the dangers of gang involvement. Let them know you don't want them to end up injured, in jail or dead.
It's a battle worth fighting, and you don't have to do it alone. Get involved early, and ask school officials, law enforcement, church leaders for help.
For much more information on what you can do to keep your child safe and out of gangs, check out the COPS link at http://safestate.org.

Posted by Mark Petix at 1:22 PM | Permalink