NCJ Number
159940
Date Published
1996
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The father of a teenage son who was paralyzed from the waist down in a drive-by shooting asserts that society must confront the gang problem and end the attractiveness of gangs to youth.
Abstract
The father blamed himself for working long hours and for not spending enough time with his son who became a gang member. He warns children to have nothing to do with gangs and instead to direct their interests toward school work, and other productive activities. In addition, he calls for an end to the glorification of violence in American culture and music and believes gang members who hurt others and who choose not to reform deserve no pity. The father's message for armed gangs is that they do not have the support of the community and will never win. His message for communities is is to speak out against gangs and violence and let their concerns be known.