Abstract
The gang issue has been around for decades and it will probably not come to an end in places such as Tulare County. Statistics and officials can prove that the members of gangs are increasing with each passing year. The Tulare County Crime Systems Department has witnessed a rise in violent activities involving the Sureno and Norteno gangs prevalent in the area. The Norteno and Sureno are hated rivals who comprise of Northern and Southern members respectively. The groups can be distinguished based on their attire with the Sureno adorning blue apparels and Norteno red clothing. The battle of gangs is said to have started in the state prisons in the 1950s when two convicts tussled over a pair of shoes. The inmates both hailed from two groups of Mexican Mafia from the Nuestra Familia and Surenos. They two gangs began calling shots in the prisons with the Norteno marking their territory as X4 and Sureno X3 (Schultz, 2011). Over the years, police and criminal justice departments have attempted to solve the growing problem of gang membership to no avail. The community in Tulare County lives in fear of the Norteno and Sureno such that they are not willing to reveal any information that may endanger their lives or families. The gangs have also sort to utilize virtual means that are untraceable to recruit new members. Since forceful actions have not borne any fruit in curbing gang violence, the Tulare County Crime Systems has decided to use the gangs by changing their perspectives regarding violent activities to safe and progressive actions. Prevention and intervention are prominent strategies that can steer at-risk youth and families in the right path. The law enforcers introduce better and safer alternatives for children and parents to support their households (O'Deane, 2007).
References
O'Deane, M. D. (2007). Effectiveness of gang injunctions in California: A multicounty 25-year study. ProQuest.
Schultz A. (2011). Gang problem not going away. Retrieved June 2, 2015 from http://www.recorderonline.com/gang-problem-not-going-away/article_78d67de7-2f4c- 56f7-bad1-f5aebd88f59a.html.
