A two-pronged "carrot and stick" approach. I think there are two fundamental reasons that someone joins a gang - protection from other gangs or as a source of income where other sources are not available. The carrot part of the approach is to invest in inner cities to provide legitimate opportunities for income so there is an alternative to crime. Dovetailing in with this is the "stick" - harsh punishment for people convicted of gang-related crimes and a sense of security in the neighborhoods that are controlled by gangs.

There will always be a criminal element - you'll never eradicate it completely. But if you can make it a less-attractive alternative you'll prevent a lot of people from walking down that path.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)