Gangs in America –
This was an editorial write up in the Long Press Newspapers
LEGISLATOR KEVAN ABRAHAMS(D-HEMPSTEAD)
LI'S GANG WAR
On October 24, 2002, Jonathan Harris,
18, of Roosevelt was walking along Nassau Road in Roosevelt
when he was gunned down.
Just this past June 10, a 17-year-old Freeport man was critically
injured in Freeport when a suspect's car slammed into him
during what police are calling a possible gang-related incident.
A short month later, on July 18, two men, ages 18 and 23,
were shot while standing on a street corner in Hempstead when
a passing bicyclist stopped and shot them with a handgun,
according to police.
These are just a few of the casualties of war, a war that
is taking place in communities across Long Island. They are
the casualties of gang violence.
The future for these young adults are forever altered, their
fates forever sealed, by the hateful world of gangs. Some
individuals like Jonathan Harris, who were not directly involved
with gangs or gang-related activities, became a statistic
by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This senseless
violence also leaves in its wake devastated loved ones who
must shoulder an enormous loss.
In years past, heartbreaking stories like these seemed far
removed from our front door, but that is no longer the case.
From the North Shore to the South Shore, from the western
border in Nassau to the eastern coast in Suffolk, the wake-up
call has been sounded for all communities, for all parents
and youth advocates to take up arms against this killer. We
must begin our battle with education in hopes of steering
the youth of our communities out of harm's way.
I recently sponsored a forum on gang prevention. It brought
together community-based organizations, county officials,
officers from Nassau's First Precinct's Special Patrols Unit
and, most importantly, parents. My intent was to provide community
leaders and parents with an inside look at the world of gangs
and urge them to get involved. The Special Patrols Unit discussed
patterns of gang activity and provided informative materials
to the audience. We found that while community leaders understand
that there are gangs, they are unsure of how they can help.
This past January, Secure Person Inc., a security consulting
company run by former New York City corrections officers,
participated at a gang-awareness seminar, providing insight
into gang-behavior and culture and discussing specific information
about gang identifiers, initiation practices and backgrounds
on well-known street gangs.
It all adds up to a coordination of efforts, education and
information. Gang violence cannot be solved solely through
police work. Parents, government officials, religious groups
and community-based organizations need to be involved. Police
officials have told us that the more gang members they learn
about and the more information they have, the better the chances
of identifying other gang members.
As a legislator concerned with the quality of life for all
residents, I am reaching out to parents and asking them to
ask where their children are going, what they are doing and
with whom they are doing it. I am urging parents to learn
about local after-school activities and programs as an alternative
to "hanging out." I am telling parents to call the
police if they suspect their child is in a gang, and to enlist
the help of those who understand how to reach these young
adults.
I know we can solve the problems of gangs in our community.
We need to replace our children's fascination with the gang
culture and provide them with opportunities to occupy their
time. I am determined to build a circle of hope around our
young people.
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