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In an effort to control gangs that are growing in the area, there are a number of programs underway in the Triangle.
Some programs are funded by grants, others are experimental and if they prove effective they will be expanded.
Several experts said that although gangs in North Carolina are not as entrenched as they are elsewhere, they still have a pretty good foothold.
“There are 14,500 known gang members in thus state -- that's a small city,” said Mark Bridgeman, the police captain in Fayetteville and the head of the North Carolina Gang Investigators Association.
He said that estimate is probably low because it only includes about 66 of the state's 100 counties.
Before gang members end up in court, new efforts are underway to keep kids from being drawn into gangs.
“If you want to talk about true prevention, we want to get to them before 15 years old," said Danya Perry, a gang prevention specialist with Communities In Schools.
“We actually have outreach workers in the neighborhoods -- that’s part of a pilot program,” said Communities In Schools President Linda Harrill.
The program offers kids alternatives to the gang family.
“Whether it's music, sports, or karate or working on the computer; it's all opportunities for them to be part of something that's not negative,” Harrill said.
Experts said that when a kid is enticed from a gang, the program that he or she enters has to be as strong an influence as the gang was.
“We have to replace that nugget of the gang structure, so that when they leave the gang we have a place ready for them to jump into,” said Perry.
Gang members who are jailed eventually get released, and experts said that they have to be dealt with as well.
“We need to provide services, necessary training, job skills, whatever it takes so that they don't become recidivists,” said Bridgeman.
He said that responsibility falls on the community.
He also said there is no one perfect way to attack the problem. Everything from prison ministries to recreational programs needs to be used to break the influence of gangs.
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By Emily Cole on 08/04 12:45 PM
Hondaman, I have to disagree with you. I feel that it IS the community's responsibility to fix this problem. Like RTPTechmom said, most likely these children come from broken homes or have no suport system. The reason they become members of a gang is very likely that they are looking for some 'family' to be a part of. That is where the community comes in. Places like the Boys and Girls clubs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Awanas groups, and the Communities in Schools programs are more productive and positive ways to get these kids involved in relationships with adults who will mentor them and help them make the right decisions in life. To just say "what do you expect of their children" is to dismiss them and exacerbate the problem. We as a community need to step up and help resolve the issues that are causing gang involvement, not just sweep it under the rug by saying "what do you expect". We should expect more, and help these children and teenagers achieve more.
By RTPTechMom on 08/04 11:25 AM
Hondaman, I agree it probably is not the community's responsibility. But guess what? When these probably single parent moms fail at effectively raising these kids (often because they are working 2 or 3 jobs), then something has to be done. The burden then falls to the community, or else we have these directionless kids running the streets and committing crimes. And sometimes, they wander into our nice surburban areas in Cary and Morrisville to do these crimes. In a perfect world, the parents would be more involved. In some cases it is laziness of the parent, some cases the parent had a poor upbringing and doesn't know how to be a good parent. Then in other situations, the parent is working all the time and doesn't have time to spend with the kid. Either way, intervention is needed or it will continue to get worse and affect us all.
By hondaman on 08/03 11:29 AM
Dont forget that the people who get these grants -- get money. So you gotta take them with a bag of salt. To control gangs it is not the communities responsbility. These kids have parents. The parents probably on drugs and are alcoholics so what you expect of their children. Do the gangs have a membership list so you know how many are members?
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