Gangs and gang related activities have been issues that have plagued the American Society and the nation as a whole from the early 60s. The issues of gangs is one that is very difficult to deal with, however, as a community I believe this plague that continues to steal the lives and future of our children can be mitigated if not eradicated.
Firstly, juvenile delinquency, is almost is always exercised in a group dynamic. This is how peer pressure works, the illusion of belonging to a group or family where an individual finds purpose and a reason for life. However, this purpose is misdirected. As the Police chief, I believe that involving children in constructive and positive group dynamic activities will help reduce and address the issues of gangs. A good and very effective method would be to involve the young ones in programs such as the Police Activity League (PAL). These programs give the young ones alternatives to gang activity and the street life.
Secondly community policing has been a tried and tested method of keeping our children off the street. I believe that when all the members of the community contribute to the creation of a safer environment and neighbourhood for children and the young, gang activities will not be a problem. This is because gang activities thrive on fear and force. Through using sheer numbers, they create an environment where organized crime can be incubated and gradually go out of control.
Finally, it is rather evident that a large majority of juvenile delinquent behaviour is conducted by school going children who eventually drop out as a result of gang activities. For this reason, I believe that through liaising with academic institutions, from the elementary level through high school, we can easily identify gang related activities that have crept into schools where they act as a recruitment source and incubation centre for such gangs.
In conclusion, when we work as a community from the family level to the local and civil government level, we can eradicate gang activities from our society.
Works Cited
Bartollas, C., & Schmalleger, F. (2011). Juvenile Delinquency (8th ed.). Prentice Hall.
