Friday, April 17, 2009

Street Gangs

The future is already here - it is just unevenly distributed. That was the message from the previous post.

So what is your future? What about the future of kids you saw yesterday fighting on the street?

Yes, gangs pose a significant threat to community safety. Furthermore, they are a terrifying threat for the future of kids who are or may become gang members. Right?

So, what are we doing about it?

Now when a very successful community organizer on the South Side of Chicago is the President of the USA – we can see a new federal approach to America's high-poverty areas. Check for example http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/urban_policy/.

That document states that:

Obama and Biden support innovative local programs, like the CeaseFire program in Chicago, which implement a community-based strategy to prevent youth violence and have been proven effective.

A link to the CeaseFire website is available at our Links Library; in the Gangs section:

Links Library >> Law, Justice, Poverty and Prevention >> Street Gangs.

Therefore, let’s say a few words about those links and the challenges of gang violence prevention.

CeaseFire is the first initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. It collaborates with community-based organizations to reduce and prevent violence. CeaseFire relies on community leaders such as outreach workers, faith leaders, profit and nonprofit organizations to intervene in conflicts, or potential conflicts, and promote alternatives to violence. Of course, CeaseFire cooperates with police and promotes the message that shootings and violence are not acceptable. Finally, it calls for the strengthening of communities so they become capable of controlling and responding to issues that affect them.

Find more at: www.ceasefirechicago.org

The BUILD Model is designed to develop personal competencies, strengthen commitment to education and community service, and as a result develop stable, productive members and leaders in their communities.

Therefore, if a young person is encountering risk factors like gangs, violence, substance abuse, truancy, poor academic performance she/he/they can be recruited to BUILD Core Groups, where they are engaged in activities designed to reduce risk-taking behaviors, set and reach educational and career goals and promote positive impact on community.

Find more at: http://buildchicago.org.

Crime maps. If you are interested in maps of crimes in Chicago, you can check http://www.spotcrime.com/il/chicago or http://gis.chicagopolice.org/CLEARMap/startPage.htm

How do you like it? Which do you prefer: the CeaseFire program or the BUILS Model?

There are much more links. Please check them out: Links Library >> Law, Justice, Poverty and Prevention >> Street Gangs.

And of course, send us your comments at: SVHATS Forums >> Cool Links and Cool Cash >> Street Gangs.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a poem dedicated to my brothers that are out there killing each other:

I CAN’T SEE MY BROTHER BECAUSE OF A COLOR

“I can’t see my brother because of a color; it’s usually red and blue that has us killing one another.

This modern day form of Tribalism is by design that keeps our people deaf, dumb, and blind.

My brother I love you but the colors you flag makes it hard to see you! Correct me if I’m wrong…

But I was listening to Marvin Gaye and I have to ask “What’s going on?”

In this day and age we have to pick up the slack, No longer lack, and call ourselves Black!

My brothers hear me please!? The colors you wear is like a disease…

That is rapidly affecting our communities…

So We Got…

Bloods Blooding and Crips Crippling while,

White is in the middle just sitting there giggling?

As we devalue the quality of our lives, I don’t want see another one of my brothers lying on dry ice.

“Mercy Mercy Me,” how do we achieve Peace and Harmony?

Stevie Wonder might be blind, but even he can see the need for more Black love, Respect and Unity.

Malcolm X said, “America has a very serious problem,” while KRS1 said, it’s “Self Destruction.” The Destruction of you my brother, which is painful to our mothers,

I love cherish and respect you my brother but I can’t see you because of a color!”

NENE ALI
Spoken Word Poet
BRONX, NY

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot for a bunch of good tips. I look forward to reading more on the topic in the future. Keep up the good work! This blog is going to be great resource. Love reading it.
write term paper