Working to keep gangs in check

Today, the Register wraps up a three-day look at gangs in Napa County.

One theme came up over and over again in interviews with police officers, school officials and tireless community volunteers who try to help young people stay away from gangs: This is not simply a law enforcement issue.

• It starts at home, where parents have to work hard to stay active in their children’s lives and give them direction, even and especially when they seem to be the most troublesome sorts of teens.

• Other adults can play a huge role. If you look out for your neighbors, provide occasional jobs or other positive outlets for their children, watch for signs of trouble and relay information to the relevant households, you are helping at-risk youth. Neighbors working together can keep their communities safe without involving outside forces.

• It includes the community at large. Access to youth sports, after-school programs and other activities that are meaningful to teens (and free or inexpensive) are important in cooling the passion for gang identities, rivalries and ultimately violence.

• It involves the schools. School resource officers, administrators, teachers and students are essentially first responders, with access to information that parents and police might not get otherwise.

• It involves the cities. Painting over graffiti, working closely with those picked up for minor vandalism, enforcing quality-of-life codes with tenants and landlords and finding the money to support youth programs help develop a stronger foundation.

• It involves law enforcement, of course. Police who know where the action is taking place and who the players are can more quickly calm the waters when gang tensions arise. Community policing principles, a swift hand when serious incidents occur and a focus on “gateway” crimes help keep streets safe.

Here in Napa, we are concerned about the rising influence of gangs. Yet the number of gang-related fatalities in the last decade can be counted on one hand. Bigger cities tend to have bigger gang problems.

We’re lucky, and we need to work hard to stay that way.

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