How to Solve America's Gang Problem Once and for All

Ilia, it surprises me, that in your view the problem with gangsters is really so big.  I did not know that..  but I have been in US. for just a fraction of time, when I compare it with you. well , propably its serious..  especially when law abiding , hard working people are so desperate, that they join the gangs.  Its a price for Americas prosperity and uniqeness.  A positive thing is, that such a big nation with all possible cultures and nationalities did not plunge into civil war. I do not see one single way out of it..  maybe Americans should strengthen its southern border. Mexico is in deep trouble for a longer time. Mob violence there is well known even in european media.  In Germany, there is organized crime, but nothing of such a scale. just usual prostitution, pimps, time to time small shootings between russian and chinese criminals. permanent crime is very rare in most parts of Europe. I wish people who care about US. to be succesful in solving this.

I have to echo what seems to be the concensus, what gang problem...  in the late '80's it was rampant, we had lots of it here in San Diego, Los Angeles much worse.

A few things changed, #1 law enforcement use of technology and databases have made it impossible for people to slip through the cracks, to carry on any kind of life under the radar. I'm hardly a gang member myself but have lived with some aspects of my life as an outlaw, I used to be involved with things I was paid to deliver a couple of hours away, I always had a fast car and was very experienced with evading capture by law enforcement. It was expected I was not to pull over for the red light in the mirror.

My license was revoked throughout the 80's, 90's and around '00 I was living legitimate and got my license back.  In my wild days I could buy tags off people, I could drive uninsured, if a cop got behind me it took several minutes to run my plate and find I had wants and warrants, most wouldn't bother. If they did I took off, I've been in about 2 dozen high speed chases evading the law, most were on liter+ sportbikes and over in seconds. The half dozen in cars took more effort but once you commit you go 99% and you're gone. Cops do not generally have experience driving at 99% in traffic.  Racers and wheel men, do.

Now a copter is in the air already most of the time. Cops have your whole life on their screen in 5 seconds after entering your license #. They drive vehicles in most jurisdictions that are capable of high speed pursuit. I could not do the things I got away with 20+ years ago now, and I can directly compare the mechanisms in place for street gangs in the same way.

You are not going to live gangsta like the old days because they know who you are, know where you live, you toe the line or you're in the can. Because of what I was doing I rented apartments and got utilities, everything, under aliases, in the '80's.  Impossible now.

Secondly most of the street violence was directly connected to crack cocaine. This is really the only drug where people would kill their own mother for more once they get fiending on it. Even heroin, well addicts "hurt" for more but they're not all wound up when they have that need.  People used to say everything in the hood, possessions, they're worth $20 (the standard amount of crack in a vial) or they're not worth nuthin'.

Crack is still around but it's not popular, it's just not the thing people do anymore.  Maybe in a way this does validate part of the author's position. I think if they lost most of the drug trade, if the gangs were still around, they'd find something else, like selling "protection".

Interestingly enough drive by shootings were all the rage, especially in LA, until one event changed all that about 20 years ago. On a street corner in Santa Ana or thereabouts, there was a driveby, and the errant shots hit and killed a little latino girl, about 2 years old I believe. As it turned out she has a close relative, I think a grandfather, who was one of the leaders of the Arellano Felix cartel in Mexico, who had absolute control of the industry before the cross border wars began. The drivebys were mostly Crips vs Bloods, with MM doing their own thing. This guy sent some MM muscle up to LA and met with top leaders of Crips and Bloods and said you do a hit you walk up and do it like a man. Anyone does a driveby and we're coming up to hit you and we will kill you one by one and you can come to Mexico and hit us back if you dare.

That really was the end of drivebys, just. like. that. The MM stopped what law enforcement could not. Those were safe days in Mexico, you could walk the streets at night in TJ. The one cartel functioned as government and law, Mexico has such inherent corruption it's going to happen anyway.They were better off in those days.

Now this solution to gangs in the US, big brother tightened the leash if you will, well it's not perfect. We have more people in  prison than anywhere in the world, and this same big brother scenario makes it pretty hard to get released and get employed. We can talk till we're blue in the face about giving convicts a chance but that's really a myth. All jobs do background checks, if they require security clearances or bonding (even 7/11 and McDonalds do, you're handling cash or lotto tickets) it's not an option if the owner wants to give you a chance. He will lose his bond.

So one felony, these gang members have little ability to turn it around.

The streets in my city are now so quiet at night you can hear a pin drop. I don't know if I like that though. I used to like to hear the sound of people living.

One final note on guns: If you own a gun you are many times more likely to be killed by a gun. Not necessarily yours. If we all have guns most confrontations will be escalated to the point of being solved with a gun.

I don't own them anymore and I was once in a position where I thought I might have to kill someone, and if I did his partner behind me would kill me and likely my G/F with me. After several tense seconds I made the best choice. I ejected the round in the chamber, tossed my gun to the guy in front of me and we got in the car and drove off. Leaving two Hell's Angels standing there staring, somewhat perplexed. I was not, I knew the only way out was to take away the only reason they'd have to shoot me. Most people would not have done what I did, I did make myself vulnerable for a moment.

Sometimes humility is the only way to survive a clash of strong wills.