Gang Prevention Programs Target Children at Riskd
June 19, 2012
Federal law enforcement officials say criminal gangs are on the rise, with more than 33,000 now operating across the country and committing more than 50 percent of all violent crime. But in one community outside Washington, gang activity is down.
The annual Arlington County Gang Task Force soccer tournament is one part of a broad strategy to steer teens away from gangs in the Virginia suburbs of Washington.
“I believe that no county, no town, is immune from this gang problem. And every child is at risk, some kids are higher risk than others,” said Robert Vilchez, the Gang Task Force coordinator for the county.
Arlington Police say 85 percent of area gangs are Latino, including the Mara Salvatrucha gang or MS-13.
That gang started in Los Angeles and has spread to other parts of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Authorities say the group is involved in everything from petty street theft to human trafficking, drugs and murder for hire.
Arlington Police Captain Brian Berke says the number of known gang members in the area has dropped from a few hundred in the early 1990s to around 100 today. He attributes the decline to suppression by law enforcement and more than 300 education and prevention programs.
“It is not something you can claim victory on because they are transient. And I believe if we were to stop paying attention to them, and to their criminal activity, that they would once again feel comfortable in coming back and gaining a foothold,” Berke said.
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