Gangs in California - how bad of a problem is it? (Los Angeles: school, agricultural)

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by sgvkev

This is probably the only way that could get rid of gangs (the ones that have been around for years formed with the purpose of "protecting" their neighborhood, hence why the older ones are often named after their city, neighborhood, or street), especially Mexican gangs as they're controlled by Eme and Nuestra Familia and have to pay taxes to them (hence why Surenos have "13" in their names and Nortenos have "14" in their names. For example, Florencia 13 really means "Florencia Mexican Mafia"), as well as "cleanse" their neighborhoods of blacks, as that has been in effect since 1992, when the riots took place. The harder drugs like cocaine, heroin, meth, etc. are still illegal so until they're made legal, expect them to focus more on those drugs. If drugs are legal, there's no incentive to rely on the local gangs, and thus their business declines, which means less tax revenue for Eme and Nuestra Familia.

They will turn back to what they have always done, robbery. They will not go away. At least with drugs it is the stupid drug using people and their suppliers who are the primary target. Make it legal and YOU become a target.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by expatCA

They will turn back to what they have always done, robbery. They will not go away. At least with drugs it is the stupid drug using people and their suppliers who are the primary target. Make it legal and YOU become a target.

Gangs will no longer have a reason to exist without drugs being illegal (unless our society is stupid enough to outlaw guns, which would give the gangs a whole new field to go into - that would be a dumb move but this society can be counted on to make some very dumb decisions)

The end of Prohibition offers a clue as to what we'll happen. We'll just have more families like the Kennedys and Bronfmans and more rich folks like the Chicago-spawned "supermob" folks who became a major force in Southern California construction, banking, entertainment, and eventually politics.

[CA4Now]

There are lots of other reasons besides drugs that people join gangs.

Father Greg Boyle: I thought I could “save” gang members. I was wrong:
https://www.americamagazine.org/fait...rs-i-was-wrong

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by majoun

Gangs will no longer have a reason to exist without drugs being illegal (unless our society is stupid enough to outlaw guns, which would give the gangs a whole new field to go into - that would be a dumb move but this society can be counted on to make some very dumb decisions)

The end of Prohibition offers a clue as to what we'll happen. We'll just have more families like the Kennedys and Bronfmans and more rich folks like the Chicago-spawned "supermob" folks who became a major force in Southern California construction, banking, entertainment, and eventually politics.

Gangs existed before drugs were an issue and will continue to exist. To think that making drugs legal would change that is wishful thinking.

They exist and will exist because the ones leading them and belonging to them will not want to lose their power and protection, plus many gangs now are multi-generational and will not become non existent.

Prohibition did not exist at one time, did for a short period and then ended. While some groups, like bootleggers and Moonshiners came into existence, they were not the only such. The Mafia existed before and after that. Gangs today are also a social group and will not go away. Plus they are already in politics.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Gangs existed before drugs were an issue and will continue to exist. To think that making drugs legal would change that is wishful thinking.

They exist and will exist because the ones leading them and belonging to them will not want to lose their power and protection, plus many gangs now are multi-generational and will not become non existent.

By that logic, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns would still exist today even though they went bankrupt because the people leading them also would not want to lead their power and protection, and both had been around a very long time. Never mind that there was no economic basis for them to continue. Without drugs being illegal, gangs would lose their economic basis, and, like any economically imperiled organization, would have to make cuts and retrench in order to survive.

Our political system, however, does tend to make some very bad decisions, so it is certainly quite possible that they could ban guns which would give gangs a whole new lease on life.

Re: Mafia, yes, they continued to exist post-Prohibition (and arguably had more power than ever) but violence dwindled down to very. very low levels. My parents were from the South Side of Chicago and grew up in a neighborhood which Capone dominated when they were small children. Post-Prohibition they tended to maintain order not disorder as disorder was bad for their activities.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by BGS91762

Much worse in cities like LV Denver and Minneapolis. Most So Cal gangs have moved on to greener pastures.

Unfortunately, they haven't.

“I never looked at it like a gang,” said Carter, 49. “It was like a family. My brother, my sisters, everyone else I knew was in it.”

One corner. Four killings. - Los Angeles Times

[robcat33]

Originally Posted by expatCA

They will turn back to what they have always done, robbery. They will not go away. At least with drugs it is the stupid drug using people and their suppliers who are the primary target. Make it legal and YOU become a target.

Portugal did it and it worked for them. All those gangs had to go back to their own countries because their profits bottomed out and they couldn't hire their cronies anymore. When a once petty street gang grows to control a six block radius it always comes at the expense of everyone else. Foreign gangs operating on U.S. soil will never be okay with this voter, no matter what cesspool they came from

[CaliforniaGal]

I live just shy (south) of LAX and I know for a fact that the gangs have gotten bad around us. Find more graffiti in our parks - walls and that is a sure sign. I know by reading the newspaper. These are not people who have been here for generations...they are the folks who have come from Central America in the last few years. They don't go to school - don't work. So they are into criminal activity.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal

I live just shy (south) of LAX and I know for a fact that the gangs have gotten bad around us. Find more graffiti in our parks - walls and that is a sure sign. I know by reading the newspaper. These are not people who have been here for generations...they are the folks who have come from Central America in the last few years. They don't go to school - don't work. So they are into criminal activity.

And they get free medical and a host of other things.

If you are a drug runner and get shot by the competition, don't worry your medical bills will be paid, so you can go back to ... running drugs.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal

I live just shy (south) of LAX and I know for a fact that the gangs have gotten bad around us. Find more graffiti in our parks - walls and that is a sure sign. I know by reading the newspaper. These are not people who have been here for generations...they are the folks who have come from Central America in the last few years. They don't go to school - don't work. So they are into criminal activity.

That area does have a history of gang activity going back 40 years.

Including Crip and Blood activity - are they recent arrivals, too?