The Central Valley and Central Coast of California have become a
battleground for gangs. Gangs from outside of our area are fighting
it out in our back yards and leaving a swath of devastation in
their wake. Most of these gang members are youths recruited in
their early teens. It will take the community to save these young
people from a life of crime and stop the wave of crime that these
gangs create.
The Central Valley and Central Coast of California have become a battleground for gangs. Gangs from outside of our area are fighting it out in our back yards and leaving a swath of devastation in their wake. Most of these gang members are youths recruited in their early teens. It will take the community to save these young people from a life of crime and stop the wave of crime that these gangs create.
To fight this epidemic we need to work on several levels.
First, a strong emphasis on education will help decrease poverty by creating more educated workers who earn high-paying jobs. Parents and teachers must educate our youths about gangs and instead create a protective shield from these criminals. This can be bolstered by after-school programs and activities.
Also, communities must band together to fight this scourge. Neighbors must be diligent and watchful in their neighborhoods and have the courage to report activity. Organized neighborhood groups can help by cleaning up and fighting graffiti.
Next we need to better support law enforcement officers. I will continue to fight for increased funding to put more officers on the beat to fight this problem. Liberal legislators need to understand the importance of keeping their hands off of local government and law enforcement funding. Time and again we’ve seen these leaders take funding from cities and counties, handcuffing law enforcement efforts against crime. In Sacramento, lawmakers must give law enforcement officers a fighting chance against these thugs.
Law enforcement officers need to focus on gangs in two ways. Prevention programs by police departments are extremely important in combating gang infestation but we also need a crackdown. Officers must come down hard on gang activity utilizing street crimes units and gang task forces. More cooperation must take place between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies if police are to reduce gang activity.
In Sacramento we need to focus on legislation that will increase penalties for participation in gangs and violent crime, creating prevention programs that help catch teens before they join gangs and funding law enforcement and education programs that ensure the decline of gang activity in our community. Whenever legislators from either party have a good idea on how to help fight gang activity the measure is too often killed or amended by urban liberals.
Fighting the proliferation of gangs in our community will not be easy. But with cooperation of community leaders, law enforcement officers, educators and parents we can beat back the wave of crime that has taken our streets.
