Gang members find strength in numbers. So should law enforcement officers, public officials and other community leaders in Portsmouth as they search for ways to battle an apparent increase in gang-related activity.
As The Pilot's Janie Bryant reported Monday, city police and others are concerned that a recent spate of crimes - ranging from burglaries to the shooting death of a pizza delivery driver in the Edgefield Apartments area in April - are indications of a growing gang presence in Portsmouth.
Other cities in our region and around the nation have been down this well-worn path before, of course. Over the years, they've achieved mixed results in their efforts to dismantle gangs; a new 35-member task force addressing the issue in Portsmouth stands to gain from reviewing both what's worked and what hasn't.
One approach worthy of study is in Florida, where a statewide grand jury has been empaneled to investigate specific gangs, as well as propose ways to deflate their influence. Part of the grand jury's study is already complete and available for review.
Some efforts - such as charging gang leaders under racketeering laws commonly used against the Mafia - may not be appropriate or necessary in Virginia at this stage. The same may be true for similar measures recently passed by the Florida Legislature, including classifying recruitment of gang members as a third-degree felony.
Giving prosecutors and law enforcement officers more tools to go after gangs may be part of the solution. In Portsmouth, it's clear that one tool now under development - a database of gang-related crime - is needed to understand the scope of the problem and formulate a response. At the moment, officials estimate there are about 35 gangs active in the city.
As leaders in our region and elsewhere have learned, the most cost-effective - and only lasting - way to thwart the influence of gangs is to jump into the middle of their recruitment efforts and provide young people with substantive alternatives.
In Portsmouth, that effort is partially under way. The police department's gang task force talks to students about the dead-end path offered by gangs and counsels students on how to turn them away.
As that work continues and broadens, city officials, church groups and others need to look for ways to expand after-school programs for young people as well as make them aware of options that already exist.
One critical component in any community's battle against gangs is obvious but worth repeating: Take them seriously.
Portsmouth Detective Ken Gavin, echoing words heard from law enforcement officials in other U.S. communities, told The Pilot's Bryant that seemingly harmless neighborhood groups that dress like gangs or show gang signs shouldn't be dismissed as "wannabes."
Too often and all too quick, those pretenders can turn into the real thing. Timely intervention and guidance can give those young people strength that gangs will never truly provide.
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Enough Police presence
Will make the gangs leave. But the city doesn't care because the power and puppetmasters don't live in this neighborhood. All the Police need to do is keep a heavy presence in the area and every time they see one, pat them down and arrest them at every opportunity. The gangbangers will be affraid to venture out instead of law abiding citizens and eventuality they will close up shop or leave. Also get creative and charge the owners of these hideouts with maintaining a nuisance. You can beleive if this was happening in Old Town, problem would be solved in 48 hours.
start with a Curfew
I live in edgefiled a few blocks away from the pizza delivery murder.
The same gang still hangs out on the corner of Brandon and Darby.
They mugged a preacher on Hawthorne a few days ago, and took refuge in the townhouses On darby. Last night, when I got home from a late shift there were at least 10 kids hanging out on the block throwing rocks.
the police are doing the best they can, its tough when the gangs have look outs on cell phones all through the neighborhood.
How about a 9pm Curfew for kids under 18. At least it will cut down on some evening violence in Portsmouth.
I can't sell my house, so my wife and I are going to buy guns for protection this weekend.
I figure it is a matter of time until my wife and I become victims.
GANGS GROW IN SUBURBAN SCHOOLS
The US Department of Justice has released a report that states the growth of criminal gangs is increasing in all socio economic areas of the country, http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs11/13157/index.htm . SERAPH who provides school safety consulting to over 20,000 schools in the U.S. has observed a dramatic increase in gang recruitment in suburban schools.
Ron Holvey, Gang Interdiction Special Consultant http://seraph.net/about_ron_holvey.html for SERAPH explains the problem, “School officials have been caught off guard by the rise of gangs in suburban areas. Straight Edge, Juggalos, Crips and Bloods have all been recruiting juveniles in these areas of the country.”
I'll say it again
The parents or parent of a juvenile gang member who is caught committing a crime should serve the same sentence as the child. Once the word gets around on how this law cound change people's lives maybe then we could reduce some of the gang activity. Currently our laws are to lenient, and if we need to start somewhere, then making that change is as good a start as any.
To heck with "political correctness"
The truth is the truth and it often hurts. I not only lay blame with the absent "fathers" but also with the "mothers" who are setting such poor examples for both their sons and daughters.
Females producing 2,3 or 4 kids before they reach 21, each with a different sperm donor are not exactly great role models for either sons or daughters.
Men, take charge of your sons and maybe then.........
People don't start believing that the Police are the answer to this problem. They are contatntly put into lose/lose situations. Fine young upstanding boy is "Gunned down" in cold blood and the grandmothers,aunts, sisters, mothers want the police held responsible. They get their 15 minutes of fame on T.V. and interviews in the paper and they all blame the police. Then the real story comes out, that fine young man actually did have a gun, point it at the police officer, in fact pointed it at the clerk he robbed 1 hour earlier, had the money in his pockets as he laid there dead, and do you ever hear or read this on the front page or 6 o'clock lead story? Those grandmothers,aunts,sisters,mother perhaps have tried. Whats missing is the father that can turn a boy into a man. Until women start looking for men that are responsible to have their babies with this cycle will never be broken. I imagine this will probably be too "politically incorrect" to print.
A contradiction.....
The title of this article is in contradiction to some of the real message it has to give. To mount an offensive with more police is just saying "My gang is bigger and badder than your gang." Similar to what we are doing in Iraq and else where. That tactic actually helps recruit more gang members i.e. "The MAN is bringing us down." The last half of the article gives the real solutions: "As leaders in our region and elsewhere have learned, the most cost-effective - and only lasting - way to thwart the influence of gangs is to jump into the middle of their recruitment efforts and provide young people with substantive alternatives."
Not the police, but former gang members need to talk to students about the dead-end path offered by gangs and counsels students on how to turn them away. Instead of city officials and church groups, PARENTS, I repeat, Parents must look to expand after-school activities. You brought them into the world, they are your responsibility. Take the gang symptom seriously. "Timely intervention and guidance can give those young people strength that gangs will never truly provide." Why am I even speaking here, as the parents who need this information are not onlin
35 Gangs in Portsmouth
Add to that the remaining Hampton Roads cities and we have more than a major problem. The problem is that our cities have ignored the growth of gangs, some cities even claiming they don't have a gang problem because they didn't want to scare away tourist (VABEACK!). Now that gang members are getting out of hand our police and city leaders are out of touch on what to do, and the problem is serious. What to do with the ones caught commiting a crime? Many are juveniles, arrest the parents and give them the same punishment their gang member kid gets. Our laws are not tough enough on gang related crimes.