Gangs: the Long Road

Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp’s assessment that California street gangs are becoming full-fledged national crime networks is not, at first glance, the raw material of hope. But it does rivet the mind on the dangers of ignoring gang violence. And it coincides with a building number of proposals for dealing with the gang problem.

In both Sacramento and Los Angeles, proposals ranging from a new attorney general’s strike force to break up gangs to an after-school effort to keep them from forming are this week within reach. They would be expensive. But the cost of doing less would be even higher.

A major law-enforcement bill is among a dozen measures that the California Legislature has sent to Gov. George Deukmejian for signature. It would, among other things, create one force of state Justice Department specialists to deal with low-priced “crack” and another to seize illegal drug profits and property.

Other bills in the package would experiment with giving drug-related cases priority standing on criminal-court calenders, increase sentences for selling cocaine or heroin and make it easier for police data-processing systems to exchange information on gangs.

The drug package includes bills aimed at prevention as well as at strengthening the hand of law enforcement. One would start teaching the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse in kindergarten and continue such programs through graduation. Another bill would expand the number of youth centers and other shelters to give runaways or other troubled youngsters an alternative to drug scenes.

Many of the measures were inspired by a March meeting of legislators and law-enforcement officials that was called by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. One result was strong bipartisan support for bills that cover both law enforcement and prevention.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Tom Bradley announced a new job program that will be sponsored jointly by Pacific Bell and the Communications Workers of America. The Watts Labor Community Action Committee will recruit and train 35 unemployed young adults as telephone operators and linemen. Thirty-five jobs--even jobs that promise good pay and steady work--will not solve unemployment in South-Central Los Angeles, but the mayor obviously hopes that other companies will follow the lead of Pacific Bell and its union.

Finally, the Los Angeles City Council authorized the spending of $2 million for programs at 10 schools that will keep youngsters occupied with sports or crafts or even academics after school as an alternative to hanging out with gangs.

The mayor wants such after-school programs at all public schools, and hopes to finance them with $200 million a year from the Community Redevelopment Agency. But for that to happen a cap on agency spending must be lifted, and that may be a long time in coming. The council program is all that the city can afford for now.

There was one sour note for the week. Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates raged at gang members as “no good miserable sons of bitches” after the murder of a police officer. It may have helped the chief to let off steam that way, but it could not hold a candle to the rest of the week’s contributions to the anti-gang effort. Only stronger law-enforcement and prevention programs can make that kind of contribution. And last week was a good start along that long, long road.