|
|
| Trying to get a grip on gang violence |
| By mercurynews.com |
| Published: 09/14/2009 |
|
The room is filled with guys who have seen it all and done worse. The men -- as young as 18 and as old as 34 -- have been convicted of violent crimes during the past three years, and most are hard-core gang members. "I know most of you guys that walked in," a San Francisco gang officer tells the group, according to a transcript of the meeting. The men know that federal prosecutors, local police and district attorneys have them marked for serious prison time if they ever shoot another gun -- in fact, those very people are in the room with them. But something's different: The cops and prosecutors keep saying they want to help. Waiting for the gang members in an adjacent room are job and school counselors, offering an alternative to the gang lifestyle. "I'd much rather see you working and passing by and saying, Hi,' than putting handcuffs on you," the gang cop says, "or to have to call your mom and let her know you're dead on the street." His message, delivered at a meeting known as a "call-in," is the heart of a strategy called Ceasefire -- and it's coming to Salinas. When it was first introduced on the East Coast 15 years ago, Ceasefire was seen as a radical experiment. But with research reinforcing its claims of quickly lowering the number of gang murders by up to 75 percent, many are now calling the strategy revolutionary. Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think