PLATFORM : A Bite at a Time
Los Angeles County has 83 incorporated cities. Of these, at least 70 have gang problems, while all of them have drug problems.
We must fight youth crime in a bite-size fashion. This means enlisting the support of cities. We analyze the extent of their problem, then set about defining resources with which to resolve the problem. It may seem simplistic, but it will work. It’s being tried in the City of Commerce.
Some cities have been reluctant to admit they have a problem. They don’t want to lose their positive image. There are other cities that have acknowledged gangs, drugs and other forms of delinquency and are willing to do something about it. They give the other cities heart, and those cities will follow the example. Any city that tries to help itself should be in line for federal assistance.
The old saying “Let George do it” is passe. It just won’t work. We must have total citizen involvement. The gang problem, like “fungus among us,” is not only an L.A. County problem, it is also a national problem.
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