Despite a steady decline in the number of gangs between 1996 and 2003, the average number began rising steadily again through 2012. The most recent estimates indicate that there are roughly 850,000 gang members in the United States. The response to this has largely been to increase policing and incarceration, with the root causes of gang violence being an afterthought to policymakers and law enforcement officials. Some of these root causes seem obvious—poverty, drug use, exposure to violence at a young age, little or no parental support/involvement, etc.—but there are many other factors that contribute. Although it is important to remember that there is no checklist or specific circumstances that guarantee gang involvement, there is a strong relationship between certain conditions a child grows up in and the potential to become involved with gangs.
Prevention and Outreach Programs
Unfortunately, the communities afflicted by gang violence often receive little support for programs to help counter gangs and provide alternatives to young people. There are exceptions, however, and some programs have been successful. One of these is Gang Resistance Education and Training, or G.R.E.A.T. According to studies done on the program, G.R.E.A.T.’s “one-year and four-year post-program surveys…G.R.E.A.T. students, compared to non-G.R.E.A.T. students, showed statistically significant positive program effects…”
While there is promise for programs like G.R.E.A.T., the most valuable tool for youth outreach may be former gang members themselves. Youth especially are more likely to listen to someone who they feel understands them. There are many successful examples of this kind of outreach. Shanduke McPhatter is one of these examples. Spending almost ten years behind bars for robbery and drug dealing, McPhatter viewed incarceration as a “rite of passage,” until one day he saw a fellow inmate greet his newly-incarcerated son. A father of two boys, McPhatter said “that’s my message right there. … It’s time to create what has not been there for me.” After his release he founded Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes, or G-MACC, an organization dedicated to youth outreach and reducing gun violence.
Rethinking Justice
Shanduke McPhatter is just one example of this kind of community based outreach. Now a role model for his community, he proves that rehabilitation must be central to the criminal justice system. His story also begs the question: how many other Shandukes are out there?
Craigen Armstrong is just one example. In his writing, he is aware that his actions have caused destruction and pain to so many, and he understands the cycle of trauma experienced by so many. In his words, “hurt people, hurt people.” Armstrong is also a realist. He understands the appeal of gang life, especially to youth. “The dress code, language, the hanging out, [growing] up together” and most importantly a desire “to represent something and [for] something to represent you” are all aspects of gang life that Armstrong knows young people latch onto. In his writing, though, he urges young people to reject that and instead to “start something good, something positive that represents growth… [that] chang[es] the game and protect[s] the community you grew up in.”
Craigen Armstrong’s story brings up another important question. Rather than keeping people like him locked behind bars and sitting on death row, why not instead tap them as the invaluable resources they all have the potential to be? Parents, community members, teachers, and even law enforcement themselves have much to learn from Armstrong, McPhatter, and the countless others like them who have already experienced the highs and lows of gang life. As admirable and inspiring as the efforts of individuals and communities, including local police departments and jails, that are doing this work have been, we’ve already seen that the number of gangs and gang membership is rising.
It is long passed time to leave the “tough on crime policies” of the last century there and to rethink our approach to gun violence, drugs, and other issues associated with gangs. Officials at all levels of government should consider formally investing in and assisting with programs like G.R.E.A.T., as well as individual efforts like G-MACC. Beyond that, there need to be new and more productive ways of handling those like Craigen Armstrong who find themselves behind bars as a result of gang life. Viewing incarceration as a solution has only contributed to the greater problem. Shifting the emphasis away from prison and onto community outreach and intervention can finally begin to turn the tide.
- For more information on gang membership in the United States, see: https://nationalgangcenter.ojp.gov/survey-analysis/measuring-the-extent-of-gang-problems
- For more information on G.R.E.A.T., see: https://www.great-online.org/
- For more information on Shanduke McPhatter and G-MACC, see: http://gangstamackin.com/
- For more information on risk factors for youth, see: https://youth.gov/youth-topics/preventing-gang-involvement/risk-and-protective-factors
Add Comment