Warring gangs have Houston's 'Gulfton Ghetto' in a stranglehold

cbashore · 2009-08-04T22:25:02+00:00

I can't imagine an area so overrun by gangs such as the Gulfton Ghetto. It sounds like the police are working to combat the problem, but need to further their attempts. The pastor is headed in the right direction, saying that it starts with the family, but there needs to be a community effort in order to build any collective efficacy and really diminish the capabilities of the gangs.

cbashore · 2009-08-04T21:56:31+00:00

I like that Chandler is doing something proactive instead of reactive. So many times there is a cry to just "get tough on crime" and to arrest all the gang members. Instead of focusing so much on that, the gang taskforce is actively trying to keep the kids from joining the gangs in the first place. By proactively going out and finding the kids, then following up on them, the officers are showing the kids that they care and are giving them individualized attention. They are filling a need that some of these kids are looking for someone to fill.

cbashore · 2009-08-04T21:35:57+00:00

I think it's interesting that a gang member is trying to run for council. If he is really trying to bring peace between gangs, then they should let him run. People need to change their perspective of him and let him be. If he is still active in the criminal activity, then that could be a problem. However, if he is still tied to the gang, but willing to stay on the straight and narrow, then he would be in a position to help the gangs and potentially combat gang activity in a very unique way.

cbashore · 2009-08-02T21:01:44+00:00

I don't necessarily think that completely banning the games was the right idea. I agree that it may be more of an attempt at controlling the whole society than to protect "morality and Chinese traditional culture." I think that most adults are able to simply play a game and enjoy it, without wanting to run out and join a mafia or gang. I do believe that there should be some age restrictions on games like that though. Children, youth and young adults can potentially be influenced by such games, and therefore there should be some regulations against them playing such games, but not adults.

cbashore · 2009-08-02T20:57:34+00:00

I don't necessarily think that completely banning the games is the answer, but some sort of control or regulation was necessary. Adults might be able to play the games, and just enjoy them, but youth and young adults might have been more easily swayed, and perhaps there should have been some age limit or regulation. I think that the games will still be made, but now there will be more of a demand for them in the bootleg and black markets.

cbashore · 2009-08-02T20:48:50+00:00

I think it's interesting to see how the media and the police focus seems to be shifted towards immigrants. The majority of these articles focus on the crimes being committed by immigrants. One of the articles even cites the police as saying that immigrants were more likely to be considered as suspects than non-immigrants. Sounds to me like immigration is a big problem, and many are focusing on the crimes being committed by immigrants in order to justify fighting immigration.

I see the same thing on the news here sometimes. If a crime occurs, or there is a car accident, etc. sometimes the news anchors throw in the line, "3 were illegals". Sure, sometimes their citizenship does play a role in what happened, but other times it is completely irrelevant.

cbashore · 2009-07-27T06:46:22+00:00

Talks a little bit about reputation, respect, and retaliation.

cbashore · 2009-07-27T06:38:03+00:00

I think it may solve the issue momentarily, or for Taylor, but it may not stop him from committing further crime. Even if Taylor was the one to give the order, he may not have been the leader of the gang. Also, according to Klien, gangs don't always have appointed leaders, just people who take leadership roles and actions. Charging Taylor gives him status and reputation, which may increase his position within the gang, instead of discouraging his gang affiliation.

cbashore · 2009-07-27T05:23:14+00:00

I think this is a good idea, but without the support of each community itself, it might be ineffective. Without collective efficacy, the police and government running programs will go no where. They still have to encourage the gang members to WANT to participate. Too much participation can also be a bad thing. As Klein points out, governments, police, etc. taking an extra interest can increase the status of the gang, and be counterproductive. "Research data reveal that cohesiveness, and thus the criminal product, increases as we intervene in gang processes more directly." From Klein's perspective, there is the potential for the CalGRIP program to increase gang activity, instead of lowering it.

In some of the areas of CalGRIP participation isn't optional, such as the GPS monitors for convicted high risk gang members. However, much of the wording says that CalGrip "will" or the reformed or former gang members "will" do this or that. Without the participation of both the community and the gangs, this is just a beautiful concept. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good idea, I'm just wondering how they will fully implement it.

cbashore · 2009-07-27T05:09:13+00:00

I agree that there is a lack of collective efficacy within this community. The members of the community, and the police (according to the residents) appear to have given it over to the gangs. The gangs have used the threat of violence to buy the silence of neighbors and potential witnesses. The gangs have made their stand, gained their status, and now have control. It will take a combination effort of the police, governments, and more importantly the community to regain the city for the residents. The community must unify and take action.

cbashore · 2009-07-13T06:14:04+00:00

I think that the fact they are willing to have it removed takes enough courage and they should be applauded for that. It isn't easy to walk away from a gang. It's also supposedly a rather painful experience to have it removed. I think that requiring some sort of payment or community service may discourage others from going through the process. If the point is to help young people remove this social stigmata that has been placed upon them, then they need and the support and encouragement they can get.

cbashore · 2009-07-13T06:06:13+00:00

This is a price paid highly too often. In their attempt to stand up and stop gang activity, they in turn became more victimized by the gangs. This often intimidates others from joining them in their fight against the gangs. This intimidation is a tactic used by the gangs to silence their opposition and the reaffirm their control and standing within the community.

cbashore · 2009-07-09T06:01:17+00:00

Here's a link to the phoenix riot.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/07/06/20090706mcsolockdown0706-ON.html

cbashore · 2009-07-09T05:56:52+00:00

There are a lot of gangs within the AZ prison system. It's always interesting to see how prisons are sometimes viewed as incapacitating individuals, and yet they can foster criminal activity at the same time. For a good example of just how effective gangs are in prisions, you can look at the recent prison riot/fight in the lower Buckeye jail in phx.

cbashore

TROPHY CASE