For a Change, Good News About Gangs : * ‘Peace Conference,’ U.S. Attorney Funds Offer Hope

It’s easy to get discouraged when it comes to the problem of gangs. Every day, it seems, there’s another news account of a drive-by shooting or some other tragedy stemming from gang violence. Last week, however, there were two positive developments in Santa Ana, which unfortunately is a center of gang activity in Orange County. One came from within the gang culture itself, the other from the U.S. attorney’s office.

The first amounted to what could only be called a peace conference, one of a series of such gatherings held on Saturday afternoons since January in Delhi Park. The idea originated among rival gang members serving in prison together who wanted to prevent others from following in their footsteps. They apparently also wanted to help protect their families because they felt helpless to do so.

On a recent Saturday, about 200 gang members--representing eight gangs--mingled without incident. Then they listened intensely as two men, both of whom said they had been affiliated with gangs, urged gang members to “stop all this madness.” One of the men grimly described what it was like to be in prison. “They bring you food like a dog, and it’s already cold and there are flies all over it,” he said.

It takes courage to stage these gatherings. They are a small sign of hope that at least some gang youths want to decrease the violence that frightens communities and puts so many of their friends in jail or graves prematurely.

The second development involves the selection of Santa Ana to receive $1 million from the U.S. attorney’s office for “Operation Weed and Seed,” an experimental program designed to drive gang and drug violence out of neighborhoods and prevent their return.

The money will be used to help coordinate efforts by law enforcement, social services agencies, neighbors and City Hall within the high-crime area bounded by 1st, Sullivan and Raitt streets and McFadden Avenue.

Santa Ana was selected as one of a dozen or so communities in the nation for the experimental program. While many other communities have gangs, Santa Ana was chosen because its problem is so serious, and because it has some excellent projects in place that can be coordinated for maximum effect. These include community policing and strong social services programs.

Santa Ana is fortunate to be designated for Operation Weed and Seed. Now every effort must be made to follow through. Done well, the program can provide a national model for what a community can do when everyone pulls together.