| Show prevention Gang-prevention a growing concern concern in tt the e community Jennifer Publications VP V.P. M MEMBERS EMBERS of the Diamond Street Gang and Carlos Jimenez a social worker who volunteers his Urn time e on a Salt Lake gang prevention program organized organized organized or or- a dinner in December December December Decem Decem- ber focusing on local gangs and solutions to related gang-related crime and violence A former gang member requesting requesting requesting re re- re- re questing anonymity recalled his own personal involvement involvement involvement involve involve- ment with a gang called The Precious Few Few stating that his life at age 18 had no direction His gang made commitments not to use drugs or alcohol but he believes gangs are much more violent today because because because be be- cause of drug usage He feels in order to deal with gangs police need help within the community such as youth recreation centers community programs social workers and teachers People need to realize the former gang member stated that its it's going to take more than police to help these gangs out in our area gang members dont don't trust or like police That's the way I felt and many other members of the Precious Few felt that way It was hard for us to associate associate associate as- as with the police without getting beat up by some of the other gang members members members mem mem- bers if we were snitches or anything like that While noting that not all gangs are bad the former gang member believes that children should be taught as early as elementary school about gangs and how bad some of them can be He feels that people within the community community community com com- should get together and figure out ways to help the youth find activities that provide useful and educational education education- al outlets for the youths' youths time Dr Clark Knowlton a professor in the sociology department at the U of U has worked with Hispanic gangs in south El EI Paso Texas He stated that gangs came into existence with the growth of big cities and were present in inthe inthe inthe the United States as far back backas as the Revolutionary War On Onan Onan Onan an interesting note he added Any minority ethnic or immigrant im immigrant immigrant im- im migrant group in the slums t M 4 j Photo by Ed Ute Carlos Jimenez organizer co-organizer of a December dinner which focused on finding solutions to gang problems trapped in poverty runs the risk of seeing gangs formed These gangs are not a product of the groups group's culture but are the product of their social en en- Knowlton made it clear that when these people are pulled from poverty gangs seem to disappear Some of the factors involved with the formation of gangs are poverty ty slums segregated neighborhoods neighborhoods neighborhoods neigh- neigh and ethnic tradition Young boys recruited by ga gangs gs may stay with them until th the age of 45 or 50 Another problem with gang tradition is culture con con- If you have a group that thatis is ethnically labeled and different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent from that of the dominate culture of society and they find their culture is ridiculed and made fun of by school teachers teachers' and other stu students students stu- stu dents often they will retreat from society and begin their own groups because it is within these groups that they find acceptance friendship and achieve status said Dr Knowlton A street corner is a poor poorman's poorman's poorman's mans man's club stated Knowlton Many will think this group is a gang and furthermore fur a delinquent gang They're just a group of kids hanging around a street corner because they have no other place to hang around but the street corner corner If they are harassed by other elements elements elements ele ele- ele- ele ments of society they will risk the chances of turning into a gang very rapidly Many turn to gangs to find protection from harassment nt In school students might not feel they fit in because of poverty culture language barriers and rejection by teachers and peers They then fall away or are forced away from school Knowlton stressed that teachers need to understand the impact of culture culture culture cul cul- ture conflict poverty and street life on these kids If the student isn't understood he will then be driven away from school and have to survive survive sur sur- vive viveon on the street by joining a group gang in order for protection friendship acceptance acceptance acceptance tance and security Gangs arent aren't that different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent in structure than men meeting together to play golf and women meeting together to talk of their events in life says Knowlton Communities Communities Communities Com deserve the kind of gangs they have If they would meet the emotional and physical needs of the gangs there would be no gangs Anyone interested interest d in the prevention of gangs can call Maria Ortiz at |
