Sacramento's Gang Activity Heating Up

We have all heard of the mainstream gangs, Bloods and Crips, Nortenos and Surrenos, among others. But now there are sub sets of gangs, smaller gangs with their own name that fall under the umbrella of the mainstream gang. The Sacramento gang, Trigga Mob is a set from North Sacramento and has around 10 to 25 members. That may sound like a small gang but that gang represents only two streets and is part of the larger group, Del Paso Heights Bloods. Professor Hernandez, a familiar name to many of us, says, "It's been happening for the past few years. We start out with Crips and Bloods and Norteños and Sureños, and as the gangs have kept growing, you start getting a difference in personalities. They start splitting up, and they become different gang groups and they have different things going on." Trigga Mob has recently been in the news because two members are on trial for attempted murder of Timothy "Money" Hurst, who was shot 5 times for supposedly snitching.
Gang activity is occurring all over Sacramento and surrounding suburbs. It's not just happening in the low income and high crime areas, it's happening everywhere. There have been recent gang related shootings in neighborhoods where homes cost over $300,000. Lack of supervision is one of the main reasons for gang infiltration. I think that lack of supervision is a minimal contribution to gang activity. Young people join gangs to either fit in or for a sense of protection and comrade. Deterring gang activity is not an easy task since there are so many sub sets of gangs. It's too bad that the image portrayed of gangs is practically glamorized in the music, TV and movies.Gang violence is a reality that occurs on a daily basis.

El Chapo- Mexico's Most Wanted

El Chapo is at the top of Mexico's Most Wanted List, he is the leading drug smuggler. He is Mexico's most wanted but he does most of his business in the United States. He has smuggled billions of dollars of drugs into the United States and continues to do so. He is also a very dangerous man, his drug cartel has killed more than 2,000 people in the last year alone. What's even more scarier is that he was in prison and escaped in 2001 and has yet to captured. The Mexican government has sent out soldiers to find this man. He is seen in public every so often but people are too afraid to turn him in even though there a 5 million dollar reward.

It's really scary that a man with a mass amount of power leads the most violent and brutal criminal organization. The government can't even defeat him. The Mexican Government has even joined forces with the US Government in trying to stop him. It is mind boggling to me that one man can have so much power and use it in such a negative way. Drugs are a multi billion dollar industry that fuel the economy of the world. This is an on-going that ceases to never end. There can be all sorts of laws and restrictions put in place but the drug war will continue to be violent bloody battle. This battle is in everyone's backyard and community, it affects all people.

To Save the Children or Not?!?

San Francisco is facing a tough problem, what’s more important protecting children or drug dealers. The problem is the children are the drug dealers and the children are either undocumented immigrants or their parents are undocumented immigrants. The next question, who handles this problem the juvenile probation department or the department of immigration. The majority of the youth that are coming to San Francisco are from Central America trying to escape a home of poverty and violence. They flock to America in hopes of a better life upon arrival they live a life of drug dealing or prostitution. A lot of times the children are turned over to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement but in fact they are protected under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. By law the Probation Department is supposed to look at each juvenile and provide a specific plan that fits that individual’s best interest. It’s a sad situation because these children come for a better future but are thrown into a world of danger and end up either in foster care or returned to the country where their family is from.
What is the City to do with these children? What do you, save children who are trying to make a life for themselves by filthing the streets? According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the real crime needs to be recognized and addressed: poverty, violence, and exploitation.