By ROMNEY M. STEWART
Gang violence, one of the biggest threats to destroy America’s youth, families and citizens, is increasing along the Wasatch Front’s towns and communities.
Salt Lake’s gang related crimes have increased by 2,000 percent in the past five years. The number of gangs has doubled and the number of gang members has tripled.
In 1995, Salt Lake City led the largest 60 cities in the nation with a 16 percent increase in crime.
According to the Salt Lake City Police Department, most gang members join gangs for respect, money, protection, friends, and security.
High percentages of gang members have low rates of religion. This seems to go hand in hand with many members’ perception of time. Life is to be lived for today and the time at hand. Worry about tomorrow later.
Without long-term goals, many kids become involved in activities that provide momentary pleasure such as gambling, fighting, drug use and grafitti.
Carol Voorhees, a psychologist who works with students at Salt Lake’s Granite School District, shared some of her feelings regarding gang members’ attitudes.
“Our society feels like there is a pill to solve every problem. These kids need to be listened to, taken seriously and needed.
One thing that they need is ‘significant others’ in their lives,” Voorhees said.
Proper role models are essential for these children in their elementary school years.
If these kids can see people who have overcome odds like they have, it will instill in them the desire to exemplify their role models, a contributing member of society said.
Most gang members wear apparel that distinguishes them in some way from other kids and adults. These can include different colored bandanas which can serve as the “flag” of the gang.
Oversized pants and shirts, with the pants often sagging far below the waist, while shirts are usually untucked and buttoned at the top.
Jerseys, hats and coats from professional sports teams with the same color as the gang are popular. Short, cropped hairstyles, hairnets or shaved heads can also carry street meanings. The infamous tattoo also comes into play with numbers, drawings, or names all being used to indicate the gang’s name and location.
Utah is home to a variety of different gangs. Southeast Asian gangs, Hispanic, Straight Edge (usually Caucasian), Polynesian and African-American gangs are all found along the Wasatch Front.
They are found in the most affluent suburbs of Utah to the lower-income housing complexes.
Now retired deputy superintendent of Granite School District over Secondary Schools in Salt Lake City, Briant J. Farnsworth, is firm in his belief that schools are to be neutral ground with no gang association whatsoever.
“We don’t tolerate weapons at all. Anything even considered a weapon is treated as such,” Farnsworth said.
If a student is seen with a weapon of any sort, the student is immediately suspended, the parents are contacted, and a hearing then takes place in front of a review board composed of counselors, community leaders, etc. to determine the length of the suspension levied.
“Working closely with community leaders is crucial in our efforts to curb gang activity,” Farnsworth said.
The role a community plays in the defense of its neighborhoods is another factor in deciding how influential gangs can become.
Officer Chris Burbank, a member of the Salt Lake City Police Gang Task Force Unit, said by not getting involved as a community due to fear of retaliation, the gang has already won.
“Intimidation is one of their tools, and society needs to say we’ve had enough of this and we’re not going to put up with it,” Burbank said.
The Gang Task Force has found some measures of success by using officers from different ethnic races.
Gang members have an easier time sharing information with officers from the same minority group. Asian officers are often sent to work with Asian gang crimes, Polynesian officers with problems involving Polynesians, Caucasians with other Caucasians, etc.
Gang prevention starts in the home. It involves parents, brothers and sisters. Families are the most important influence in the lives of their children.
With divorce rates near 50 percent and a high percentage of youth growing up in one parent households, communities must do possible to keep the family unit and bond as strong as possible.
“The frustrating thing is when parents refuse to admit that their kid is at fault. They don’t think that there is a problem because their kids go to church every Sunday and they don’t see the activities that they’re involved in during the week; they think everything’s fine,” Burbank said.
Signs of gang activity encourage more activity and the quicker removed the better. Utah County has a unique approach to eradicating the graffiti problem.
In July, 1997, it started a program called “TAG,” (Teens Against Graffiti) that has now been adopted by different cities throughout the United States.
“If someone is caught doing graffiti, they are sentenced to 50 hours of community service by a judge to clean up graffiti anywhere in the county. A group of them will be accompanied by a supervisor and will clean using sand blasters, paint, whatever is needed,” said Patty Long, coordinator of the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force.
Religious intervention can be extremely effective in keeping youth involved with positive activities and beliefs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views the gang problem as mostly a spiritual one, where individual members must make a personal change.
The Church strives to provide activities to keep young adults busy and proactive by providing sports programs, activities, dances and service projects.
The gang issue needs to be addressed more adamantly by those with political power who can make stricter laws and regulations regarding gang activity.
Robert Ward, Director of Crime Data Analysis for Utah County, feels stronger punishments will help curb gang activity.
“Politicians such as mayors and county commissioners need to put more effort into stopping gang violence. But without pressure from concerned citizens, these important issues go unattended and the problems continue to grow,” Ward said.
In the United States of America, there is an average of 2.33 officers for every 1,000 people. In Utah, the average is 1.33 officers. With a 96 percent increase in Utah County from 272 gang members in June 1996, to 533 gang members in July 1997, the numbers alone show that more police officers are needed, but those involved in politics must be urged to focus more on this.
Gang activity can be defeated here along the Wasatch Front, and in other parts of the United States when these different resources are all put to use by concerned and caring citizens and neighbors.
