news-record.com

GREENSBORO - Tackling the problem of gangs will require the effort of parents, schools, police and various community organizations working together, according to a recent study by UNCG researchers.

The Guilford County Gang Assessment, the first comprehensive study to analyze the presence of gangs locally, will be presented to the community this morning .

The 327-page study was conducted by UNCG’s Center for Youth, Family and Community Partnerships  and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. Researchers worked with local law enforcement and took surveys of residents, students and gang members.

The study analyzes the awareness of gangs and their origins, and provides recommendations  about what the community should do to deter children from gangs and to assist existing members who want   to get out.

The study states that there were approximately 1,300 confirmed or suspected gang members throughout the county in July. In Greensboro, there were 38  unique gangs with 462  members. High Point had 51  gangs with 698  members. Unincorporated Guilford County had 48  gangs with 129  members.

“What we don’t want is the community to be in uproar or alarmed that there are all these gangs,” said Kelly Graves,  an assistant research professor who helped lead the study. “But we want to create an awareness that there are gangs in our community, and there are things we need to do to protect our children, our families and the community.”

In 2009,  authorities linked 458  crimes to 442  confirmed or suspected gang members.

In Greensboro, 26 percent  of the 333  gang-related crimes were connected to drugs, and 19 percent were related to vandalism.  About 10 percent  were violent crimes, such as homicide, robbery, rape or assault.

In High Point, 23 percent  of 117  gang-related crimes were property crimes — burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft or arson. Nearly 19 percent  of the city’s gang crimes were considered violent acts.

The sheriff’s office investigated only eight  gang-related crimes, most of which were fights.

Of the adults surveyed in the county, a majority (61 percent) thought that gangs were a problem. More than 40 percent  felt an increase of gang activity over the last year, and 88 percent  of parents reported there weren’t services to help gang-involved children, or didn’t know of any.

But of the parents who responded to the survey, just 14 percent  felt their kids were at risk of being involved in a gang.

“The same parents say (the gangs) 'are in my community and in my kid’s school, but my kid is not at risk’ — that’s surprising,” Graves said. “Those are the exact reasons we need more education and awareness.”

Of the 608  young people surveyed, 41 percent  reported a gang presence in their neighborhoods; 52 percent  reported gangs in their schools. Forty percent  reported gangs causing trouble at school weekly.

The study makes several suggestions for the community to address gangs. They center on five elements:

* Community mobilization: Getting people involved in possible solutions.

* Opportunities: Developing education, training and employment programs.

* Social intervention: Involving juvenile agencies, schools, grass-roots and faith-based organizations, law enforcement and other criminal justice organizations to “reach out” to gang youth and their families.

* Suppression: Supervising gang youth by agencies with juvenile criminal justice.

* Organizational change and development: Developing policies and procedures that use all available resources to address gang activity.

Evan Smith,  a program supervisor with One Step Further  — one of the agencies that helped guide the study — said it’s important to offer help to gang youth rather than just write them off.

“They want to feel loved and to feel safe — and the gang creates an illusion of safety. They want someone to guide them. They need the mentors and positive role models,” Smith said.

Graves said it’s also important to address problems in school regarding classroom performance and discipline before it’s too late: “We need to not wait until they are two years into a gang and in danger.”

When the right assistance is in place, Smith said an at-risk youth can turn his life around.

“When they come into (our) program, their outlook is pretty dim for what is ahead of them and where they are going,” he said.

“But to see that light bulb come on of the things they bring to society and what they can get out of school and work — it’s been really beneficial for these young men.” 

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com