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yea I would say stronger task forces, I know some h.s. ban clothing that is associated with gangs but this gets a little ridiculous because you can't even wear a white T-shirt at these schools sometimes, what the heck does a white t-shirt, which is in pretty much EVERYONES closet across the country have to do with a freaking gang? And then there was some branch of another gang that started wearing pink, if you tell a bunch of high school girls they can't wear pink sh*t is going to hit the fan. As for misguided 'wannabees' as you refer to this is really dangerous because if they are dressing like or getting tattoos associated with a particular gang and they are not in it the gang members might get mad for being represented falsely and go after them. One of the big ones gets tear drops tattooed for every person they kill and dots for every person they shoot I think. Some gangs have awful initiation processes, I know that some towns try to warn the public of initiation nights so they aren't out alone or out late.
Did I say that? Driving infractions that are a public safety issue are quite different from expired license, which is a tax collection issue. What's the first thing the cop says? License and registration, please. Which just happen to be tax receipts, plain and simple.
When I lived in a small southern town, the local paper published a weekly list of who was in jail and why. About half of them were convicted (or waiting for trial) for motor vehicle licensing irregularities, expired plates or suspended license, or something. Not public safety issues at all. Just revenue issues. In jail for failing to pay the car tax, while gangs are in the streets.
Here is a person that has received a few traffic tickets in his life time and is trying to blame everyone but himself for the tickets....
Another problem is that the gang mentality is passed on from generation to generation. I've witnessed countless firsthand examples of parents who raise their children into prospective gang members. It's passed on and many of these kids are born into it, those are the hardest ones to reach.
Here is a person that has received a few traffic tickets in his life time and is trying to blame everyone but himself for the tickets....
I've received two traffic tickets in my life, both for speeding. I was guilty. My wife was a volunteer literacy teacher in a county jail,. She saw what it does to a person's life when he gets thrown in jail for not having the cash on hand to get his annual renewal sticker for his license plate.
If you ever know what you are talking about, come back and visit us again.
'What is the best legal way to deal with gangs on a community level...
In a city where they have already become established?
In a town or city where they are just beginning to get a foothold? '
REPLY: Pray for them asking God to change their hearts before they become a fatal statistic and invite different gang members over for a bite to eat each week in hopes your love will make a starting difference , because it is love and acceptance that they have a void on. If you are not willing or unable to do this, then, pray for them and move to another town where Gangs do not exist or will be awhile before they get up and running. It is a very widespread problem in todays Society sadly.
'In a town with no real identified gang activity, would you consider the presence of jr. high/high school age "wannabes" who emulate the clothing, speech and behavior of gangs, do graffiti and minor vandalism/theft as a forewarning to gang activity or not? ( I have seen this mentioned on some state/city forums where it's often dimissed as not really a precursor to actual gang activity.)'
REPLY: I would say more than likely, but not guaranteed. Some get into troublemaking schemes during their Teen years but hopefully go on the straight and narrow as they mature. No guarantees on that either.
I've received two traffic tickets in my life, both for speeding. I was guilty. My wife was a volunteer literacy teacher in a county jail,. She saw what it does to a person's life when he gets thrown in jail for not having the cash on hand to get his annual renewal sticker for his license plate.
If you ever know what you are talking about, come back and visit us again.
The law is the law.....you break it you have to suffer the consequences...you can't decided what laws you are going to obey and the ones you think are dumb so you are going to disregard them......
Here is an idea.....pay the fee's to renew your stickers and you wont get tossed in jail
What is the best legal way to deal with gangs on a community level...
In a city where they have already become established?
In a town or city where they are just beginning to get a foothold?
In a town with no real identified gang activity, would you consider the presence of jr. high/high school age "wannabes" who emulate the clothing, speech and behavior of gangs, do graffiti and minor vandalism/theft as a forewarning to gang activity or not? ( I have seen this mentioned on some state/city forums where it's often dimissed as not really a precursor to actual gang activity.)
Your primary target is going to be juveniles between 10 and 18 (or what constitutes adult in your state). I say this because there are points of intervention and prevention that society might be willing to donate either time or money for. Adults they will not. It is a mistake but it still exists.
A lot is riding primarily on the needs of a given community and resources available. Not all populations have the same needs. For instance, one population might have a desperate need for either interpreters or classes to learn English and they need to be given at unconventional times. Why is this important? Because you can have wannabees even in the midst of cities where the gangs are established. Well meaning parents need to understand that the 14 year old that was doodling gang graffitti on a notebook was expelled and how to get the kid back into school. They need to know how to maneuver through the legal system. It is a point of intervention and prevention.
Schools. I think that one of the dumbest things that schools did was institute uniforms. Originally, I'm sure it was intended to be a good thing. The only thing it did was make it so the administration operates blindly swinging. The kids know who the gangbangers are and so they can get beat in the hallway and nobody knows why or will acknowledge why. So, the wannabe that was doodling gets ousted but the group of Two Sixes is flourishing. Any chance of reaching either the wannabe or the group is lost. There is a difference between both and they require different needs.
As it has been mentioned there are kids whose families are gangbangers and the neighborhood that they have grown up in are gangbangers. This is normal. They cannot imagine another way of life. The life that exists on tv is a primarily white middle class life that they don't even pretend to believe that they will ever see. Some of these kids are forced into gangs by relatives. Some have known other kids since kindergarten and although they are not gangbangers they are friends. So, for the cops or other authorities to say, "Don't hang around them and don't talk to them or else." is a level of ignorance that blows my mind. Hand the kid a gun and ask him/her to go ahead and shoot themselves.
Too, try to explain to a 12 year old that was shot at by people that he does not know, and for a reason that he does not know, why he should not join a gang for protection. Give him the top reasons why he should not buy a gun. If a kid has an older brother that is in prison for murder and it is gang related then the siblings may catch the wrath even though they are not members of the gang.
If the kid is already gangbanging they may be involved and firmly believe that if they leave they will die. Unfortunately, this is highly possible. And on this, the Latin Kings was originally created to protect themselves from police brutality and the Vice Lords was originally a straight up group, before the wars. I think that we rely too much for the cops to come off as the good guys since the original honor is perpetuated as a myth now. However, in dealing with honor we need a well crafted argument. Frankly, OG is 1066 (The Battle of Hastings that didn't take place at Hastings).
Some people get shot at for mistaken identity and, further, over real or imaginary slights, so asking the community to step forward is almost like asking them to take a bullet or turn in their mother or father or brothers. Further, parents will move from one community in an attempt to escape the gangs and wind up smack dab in another area with gangs. That is the only place that they can afford to move to.
So, we need grievence counselors and we need to recognize that there are kids that have ptsd, we need the schools to get a clue by four. Some of these kids are very intelligent and very talented and we need to find out what that is because by the time they hit 17, they have often resigned themselves to the fact that they can never leave or get out. They may have even been expelled for whatever reasons. If your state laws state that they cannot get a GED until the age of 18, they are really screwed.
There are very few treatment centers that kids are sent to that deal with gangbangers. A lot make the claim, but their programs are just not as good as others and we need to change that.
Lastly, if you have wannabes in a town that does not have a problem yet then we need to look at what activities are available for them. These are kids AND there is puberty. Kids need to have a visual that the world is much larger then the area that they are in and they need to see something to attain. We have a 25% of kids that go on to higher education (including truck driving school) and we have no stats on if there was any type of completion. We have nothing in this area for them to say, Hey! I wanna work there. I wanna do this or that!" There is the Boys and Girls Club and a very small paved area with a basketball net. Sweet. So......MTV or pretend this is a real court or go to the Boys and Girls Club. Oooh, or the library.
Last edited by Pandamonium; 09-19-2009 at 12:58 PM..
The law is the law.....you break it you have to suffer the consequences...you can't decided what laws you are going to obey and the ones you think are dumb so you are going to disregard them......
Here is an idea.....pay the fee's to renew your stickers and you wont get tossed in jail
As citizens, we are empowered to dictate the priorities of the police, who are mandated to serve us as our employees. I want my police to concern themselves with public safety, not tax assessment.
Don't worry, I won't get thrown in jail for not renewing my plates. I'm white.
You would have no way of understanding this, but some people unselfishly concern themselves with injustice that happens to other people, not just themselves..
I know I wrote a lot of crap, but one of the biggest complaints that I hear is that there are parents, single or otherwise, that are looking for programs where the kids can interact in positive programs. Something similar to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Mostly Big Brothers. I think that this is something that at the community level can be accomplished. Surprisingly, there are areas where this is not around. Even better, I would have to look for it but there was a group of Latino business men that put together a very small charter school and took 12 kids (I think) and they have had great success with it. I think they are on to something.
1. A local Sherrif and Police Department committed to discouraging illegal gang activity.
2. Proactive Commuity involvement.
People get the law enforcement they deserve:
In communities where "no snitch" rules take precident over involvement to protect and defend innocent life, gangs will thrive.
When "self-esteem" is promoted over strength of character in schools and at home, teen gangs will find a foothold.
When community groups would rather hold candelight vigils for slain minority teens than to address the failures within the family, educational system, and community that attracted teens to organized street crime to begin with, gangs will thrive.
When communities fail to pass needed tax hikes or bond issues to for pay raises to attract and maintain quality law enfocement the community at large usually suffers through the ongoing prevalence of crime, including "gang" activity.
Gang members are cowards looking for a place to happen and a way to boost their "self-esteem". The only "respect" they want is that of other teen thugs. Their measure is their fear rating within the community. Make the lives of known gang members extremely uncomfortable. Don't give them rest or time or places of refuge to organize. Make the community atmosphere inhospitable to organized street crime and gangs will move to an area where it is easier to conduct their illicit businesses.
But, that is just my opionion.
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that didn't take place at Hastings).
