Gang Violence Does everyone remember watching " Good Times " in the 70s ? This sitcom was about a poor African American family trying to survive the violence and poverty of the ghetto in the most Notorious Cabrini Green Housing Projects on the north-side of Chicago around the early 70s. I am very familiar with this place of living, our family move in around the late 60’s. The first time I experienced gang violence was in 1968. I was ten years old, coming home from grammar school when I saw two gang rivals starts to shout gang affiliation words and using gang symbols with their hands towards each other. As I passed by them on the opposite side of the street, I heard a familiar voice from the crowd of gang members, which was my cousin’s. He shouted …show more content…
I started to rock his body in my arms over and over again until I heard my mother’s voice say “Baby, let him go, he’s gone to heaven, let him go so that the paramedics can take him to the hospital.” My parents took me to hospital due to being traumatized and observation for a 24 hour period. The police officers came inside the room to ask me questions about this incident. I realize at an early age of experiencing the code of silence. The officers didn’t care about the deaths of young African American men; only about how many guns did I see or did you see where they tossed the guns. I look at my parents and said “I want to go to sleep and wake up the next day so my cousin can take me to the candy store or walk me half way home”. To ever resolve gang violence, a social problem as prevalent today as it ever has been, society must respond with an ounce of prevention rather than a pound of punishment. To explain the definition of a gang is to have a clear understanding of how it relates to gang violence. A gang is a group of individuals assembled and acting or working together. They are involved in criminal activities and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives. Gangs have been in existence since humans populated the earth. The problems of gang violence in our community consist of gang activities, which include several criminal crimes that are destroying our families, neighborhoods, and the future of our …show more content…
The meaning of prevention programs in the community is to educated and informed parents, communities and schools of learning about gangs, identifying gang members, and gang activities Parenting practices in building a trusted and love relationship and foundation with your children involving resources of gangs and gang activities and family counseling if needed to increase measurements of social control with our youths. Every parent should know and pay close attention to their children mood swings in signs of gang activities or any other reason of improper behavior. Be a positive part and influence in their growing years and respect their attitudes and decision they make in life but give your sole advice and meaning of individualism. The meaning of prevention programs in the community is to educated and informed parents, communities and schools of learning about gangs, identifying gang members, and gang activities. There are several prevention programs available in every community across the United States. The Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed, classroom curriculum administered by OJJDP. The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. Program is to help youth develop positive life skills that will help them avoid gang involvement and violent behavior. ( OJJDP, n.d.) After-school base programs, such as the