Sunday, February 19, 2012

Gang Member Face Stark Choice in English Courts


Interesting article concerning increasing gang problems in the UK.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16825265

26 comments:

  1. I think this is a good idea. These gang members should see what they do when they kill people, who it affects and the longterm consequences. Although, I feel as though many don't really care because that is the only life they have ever known in most cases. I find it interesting that some come willingly and I can see those people more septible to leaving the gang life and trying to make amends with the life they lived. If they could just see the effect it has on people and sometimes it's for nothing more than a few dollars.

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  2. The problem with gang is they commit these actions without thinking about the consequences. They stab and shoot someone not realizing the affect it may have on that person and their family. They don’t realize they are hurting someone else child, brother, sister, etc. This program is a good idea because it is letting the gangs see exactly what they are doing to their victims and the victim’s family. By showing them the effect their actions have on the community, it gives them a chance to really think is this something that I should be doing. Mr. Lawler brought up a good point in the article. When a man is holding a gun to their head where is their man dem [friends]? The Metropolitan Police basically gave them two choices freedom or prison. Hopefully the actions and testimonies given in the court will hopefully make a difference in these gang members lives and allow them to think about their actions and the consequences their actions will have.

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  3. The England police have come up with an interesting way to deter gang members from committing more crimes. I think that this is a good idea so that the gang members can see how exactly they are affecting the lives of others. The mentally of a lot of the gang members is very selfish and they only think of themselves and how life is for them. What they do not think about is how the victims and their families are affected by the crimes that they commit. By having gang members attend the court hearings they see life after the crime. They are able to see the pain behind the people that are left to mourn the death of their loves ones. It brings into reality that gang life is not all fun in games and it’s not all about having drugs, girls, and money. It is so much more then that it can ruins the life of their victims as well as the gang member’s life.

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  4. Likewise, I think it is a good idea for the gang members to see what actually goes on on the other side, like going to a morgue and watching an autopsy. It appears in most of the readings on gangs it all makes a full circle of money, power and respect and getting into a gang or even starting one is their only way in life. I know that gangs have been going on for a long time but how many more generations of young men are we going to lose and not have a productive life in society.

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  5. “Easier said than done”, this phrase reflects what the Met police are trying to do in this article. The perseverance of the Met police is outstanding; this sends the message we aren’t giving up without a fight. This new view of dealing with gang member will need a lot of persistence and creativity. I think it will take more than just telling youth gang member about their consequences by, showing gang members and giving them a just punishment for their actions.
    Stabbing is not a merciful way to kill someone. I feel concern about rehabilitation for gang member who have committed violent acts. I think once stabbing or shooting another person becomes a “norm” for a gang member, it will be very difficult not to continue to be violent. In the article it mentions a boy that was stabbed multiple times outside the courthouse. This is an example of gangs not fearing punishment or law enforcement. These gang member’s need to be reminded there are consequences for their actions.

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  6. We know the ups and downs to being in a gang, their involvements, commitments, rituals, the outcomes, etc. What this program should do is say STAY, DONT GO BACK, TRY THIS LIFE OUT OR THIS OPPORTUNITY. Once these gangs see a commitment between them and a REAL CHANCE, than others will see that it is easy to get out because of rehabilitation availability. If the Met police will continue and move fast to take a step forward and catch the younger targets, they will have less to stop in the fast growing numbers of gangs. It's getting out and facing the gang's consequences that fear most maybe all members to get out, we understand that, but we must not give up that keeping at it will eventually turn lives around. It's a shame that it's not till someone's life is taken that gang members realize, SOME, NOT ALL, that they need and want to change their life around. I like the program and hopefully it works or can work and like someone above mentioned, they need to show the other side of their crime too. What if it were their own family members and gang members or friends, then what does life promise them after that?!! it's a snowball effect, if it doesnt stop then retaliation happens until there is no one left. Law enforcement needs to stay steadfast and not be movable so that these gangs know they really mean business and just start locking them up and taking prison priviliges away as well.

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  7. This article kind of reaches both extremes to me, meaning that half of me wants to be very optimistic yet the other half can't help but see the negative or pessimist view. It is a plan of action that that should be very acknowledged seeing as the courts are actually willing to reach out and not wait until the crime is committed but genuinely try to prevent it. Another positive spin on this article is the fact that they voluntarily showed up. Most of them, I'm willing to bet, had a thing or two in their wrap sheet so for them to willingly show up does show some type of interest in maybe what life would be like outside being in a gang. My only problem with this article is will this program work? I believe it is one thing to show pictures of gang violence and to have mourning parents come and share their experiences with young children BEFORE they join a gang, but will the impact be as great on already initiated gang members? If GMG is one of the two toughest gangs out there, they have done and seen things, they have taken the lives of people who they knew were someone's son or daughter, yet they did it. Showing them pictures may shoot some reality in them for a second, but they go out in the street and see this kind of stuff daily. Basically what I'm trying to say is that it is a great program... but would it not be much more efficient to reach out to younger kids? Get their minds correct before their innocence is robbed by the reality of "their world"?

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  8. Gang intervention in England is a new concept for this civilized country. Since there is no recruitment, no actual meetings, and no initiation of the gang members in the UK, one can only hope that intervention can help with their problem. Reinstating the education program would be money better spent. Not only would it occupy the time of the youth, but assist them in the maturing process as well as give them some kind of hope for a productive future. Growing up is hard enough why compound it with depriving the youth of the advantages of an education.

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  9. This is good idea that England is using this particular tactic to address the gang problem. I believe that this program is beneficial for young youths. In order to steer them away from the gang lifestyle. For actually or soon to be gang members to see the court system that combats their gang violence. Is a good wake up call for these gang members. The article says that this method has decreased gang crime by 50 percent. I hope that this method continues to make progress. However, I am not aware if this method has been introduced in the United States. The American court system might want to consider this type of approach. This method could help with the gang crime in the United States.

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  10. I think the authorities in England have come up with a encouraging tactic to possibly slow down & eventually stop the acts of violence caused by gangs in their area. The "call in's" are not only informative to the gang members about how severe their consequences will be if they continue to commit gang related criminal activities but they also get to hear first hand from victims families and all the pain they have caused due to their actions. I think the call in's are a great effort that may not save every gang member to stop & reconsider the path they are heading down but help a few realize that maybe gang life isn't all it seems to be.

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  11. I believe this a good stepping stone for England admitting that they have a gang problem and the only way to combat it is by accepting they have a problem and attempt to prevent young offenders in becoming career criminals. However using this form of a scare tactic should not be the only type of intervention that this sophisticated society should use. This type of intervention has been used across the United States, however case studies has shown that it’s a good way for offenders to see what harm they are causing to society and for them to feel guilt. However this form of scare tactic does not always work, because it all depends on the individual if he wants to change his behavior.

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  12. I enjoyed this particular article, because it shows that the England police are working hard to try and proactively combat gang violence. They are starting with the actual gang members, and showing them how their violent actions are affecting the lives of the victims, and their families, after they commit these terrible crimes. I think and hope that this deterrence method works, and the gang members that show up and listen, change their lives, and focus on being more productive citizens. However, I also think that England should research and see why people join gangs at all. Maybe if they start with the root causes, they will have an even greater percentage in the decrease of gang violence.

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  13. this article has a point about how innocent people being killed. How families are destroyed by their children being in gangs or having a gang kill their son or daughter. its easy for people to say that they could just always quite the gang and just change their lives. But its not easy. When people get into a gang they get jumped to get in so just think about about what would happen if you quite their gang. You will most likely get killed. As for other gang members they could really care less. THey care more about their gang than their own family. But the article has a point about how they were saying that if one of the gang members are in trouble their other member will not be by their side.

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  14. Great article! I think that is a great idea for the gang members to see and hear what happens to the families of those they hurt and kill. That mother still dreams of a dead child. I'm a mother and I couldnt imagine losing my son, especially that way. I think those that actually showed up are probably gang members that want help, they want out. I feel these call ins are a good tool in getting to the young members early on and possibly urging them to rethink their way of life.

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  15. I also believe and agree that gang members should hear the stories and the emotions that the victims family is having to go through after what they did to them. It is very hard for me to have any sympathy towards anyone who murders someone for any reason. I feel that you should be punished and in my opinion one of the worst punishments someone could b given would be having to live with what they did the rest of their lives. I feel like victim's families should be abled to face their family members murder's and tell them exactly what they have put them through and let them know exactly how they feel. Sometimes thats what the murderer needs to hear and see just to get a taste of what that family is going through even though they would NEVER in a million years be able to feel the loss of that family.

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  16. It is great new way of stoping crime befor it happens . the gang members are seeing whAT they do to other pepoles life right in there face.They see the path they will take as well as to a life in jail or death.the The youth of the world must be showe what is becomeing of them by seting a exaple and showeing them a road that should not be taken.

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  17. I agree with many previous comments on this story. gang members should hear the stories of the families they have affected. Gang members don't realize that after a stabbing or shooting, they aren't thinking of the affect they have made on the people related to the victim, they are think of who is next or why is to be done next. I agree that these murders families should have to face the families of the victim to see the hurt in the families eyes and hear how much their lives have changed.

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  18. I feel this is a great way to prevent young people thinking about joining a gang or people in a gang already to not make the bad decision to take another persons life. To have the gang members View the pictures of people being stabbed, decapitated would scare the heck out of the young people and hopefully change their mind about what they want in life instead of doing time for a murder. These young kids just have no clue about what they are actually doing to the victims families, they are only thinking about themselves. For them to finally see what affect they have on victims and the reality of it all is going to help prevent crime.

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  19. This tactic seems like it would work only in a fairy tale. However, this article states that after presenting this to gang members in the Scottish city, violent crime dropped 50% among the “call-ins” that attended. I think the only way this tactic would work in America is if you got to the kids at a young age. Get to them before the gangs do. I have read several stories and seen many documentaries about gangs recruiting kids as young as 8 years old. If the gang gets to them before the justice system does, there is really no hope for their purity. Another reason I think this worked in the Scottish city is because it isn’t as crime ridden as America. England won’t admit they have a gang problem yet they are taking gang intervention precautions. This shouldn’t be the only action taken and I think if the gang problems proceed they will see this too.

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  20. I think that the authorities in England have come up with a wonderful way of opening up the eyes of these violent young gangsters. They are going about this using a scare tactic and somewhat a guilt trip. By doing this, theses gang members that actually do attend are seeing what their actions are doing. Not only how people are being injured by them, but they are getting to see the reactions of family members and friends. These actions are being done by people that are not even thinking about how they are affecting people or even thinking about the consequences.

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  21. Have the police in the U. K. heard of scared straight? It won’t work. Maybe for young juveniles, who are going to grow up anyway, but not for hardened gang members. From our readings, I have noticed that the U. K. has said that their gangs are different from our gangs, or that they don’t exist at all. In my mind, I see a lot of people with their heads in the sand. I do believe circumstances are different, but all over the world you see commonalities. They need to ask, what are the underlying problems? What do the youth want? What do they need? I see social disorganization. And if the U. K. isn’t too proud, they can ask the U. S. for some advice about gangs. They will find some truth in the matter.

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  22. Honestly, I think England has come up with a great way to help with their gang situation, but we have tried this in the U.S and although it does help some, it doesn’t help enough to make a huge difference in my eyes. What we really need to do is reach out to the younger generation because that is who is most vulnerable and susceptible in becoming a gang member in the near future. Kids are always looking for acceptance and attention, especially if they aren’t getting it at home. I realize this isn’t going to fix the entire problem, but we have to start somewhere before more innocent lives are taken.

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  23. Many theorists that studied criminal and deviant behavior always want to resolve of why social and legal norms are violated. It seems that UK officials believe in the deterrence theory and think that offenders will not repest crimes if caught and dealt with correctly. I agree with Racox the UK is taking a page from the scared straight program offered in the US. Unfortunately, individual youths involved in the program went on to commit more delinquent crimes. There is a breakdown in society and gangs provide a source of belonging and act as a refuge in the UK. From our lectures and reading material the UK has failed to address poverty, high unemployment, and social disorganization. Officials cannot even define a gang. Do you really think that the youths are intimidated by law enforcement officials carrying a billy club?

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  24. This is all very interesting, but how exactly does a call-out to gang members actually get any response at all, and how does Dr. Phil get those idiot guests of his to voluntarily air their dirty laundry on national TV? Seeing pictures and videos of victims cut-up and hearing the testimony of witnesses, family, and former gang members can do very little to influence a young person. How many cancerous lungs or twisted vehicle crashes have we all seen, and yet people still smoke and drive fast. The young are invulnerable. Most of us have no idea what the lives of these youths are like, growing up in a culture of poverty and disadvantage, where the only break in life you will ever get is joining a gang for survival. I don't think the police program is wrong, but solving the gang problem goes far beyond gory pictures and witnessing. "The right choice," as the judge in the article tells the youth, is difficult, if not impossible, in the situations they find themselves. They are most likely uneducated; they live in a culture of violence and despair with few opportunities and little or no parental supervision. The article does say help and support to move away from gang culture is available, but it really doesn't specify what that help is, but it better be a time machine so that we can just go back to square one and do an all-around better job next time. I don't enjoy being pessimistic about this, but does this program really do anybody any good? Maybe it's better than nothing.

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  25. This is a good idea and I know from experience that this will help. When kids see the realities of there actions they tend to not do them. I remember when I was younger and got thrown into a jail cell (wasn't charged of anything) that got me thinking long and hard about my decisions. My mother was fed up with me and had them throw me in jail as a scare tactic and it worked. Society has gotten so bad lately that kids don't care about anything anymore. They see Training Day or Blood In Blood Out and they think that lifestyle is cool. The thing that these movies fail to point out is that the real guys who go through this have to pay the consequences day in and day out for living that lifestyle. So, i believe that they should show them the realities because as teenagers we only see the right now and not the future.

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  26. I believe that the program would impact them at the time that they are present but as soon as they reunite with their fellow gang members all the information retained will be loss and they will end up taking the wrong road that leads to prison. Gang members are cold hearted and don't think of others. They do what they are told to do so that they can stay connected to the "family" they think they have found. Therefore the program will not make a difference.

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