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Nash Saxton
Ms. Gardner
English Honors 10
4 May 2016
Gang Violence: Apocalypse in America
Every year, thousands of lives are lost to the cloud of darkness that hovers over large
cities sprinkled around the United States. This deteriorating mass is gang violence. Gangs have
plagued America with murder and violence for hundreds of years. From Al Capone and his
mafiosos in the roaring twenties, to the current Bloods and Crips who feud day in and day out,
gangs are destroying the neighborhoods around the country and will continue to do so if nothing
is done.Many laws have been set in place like affiliation laws and strict curfew hours to combat
the excessive violence, while this may be considered a step in the right direction, nothing will
truly be changed until a bond is established between law enforcement and the people. Gang
violence and gang activity is worsening in America and must be combatted in the correct way or
many more innocent and lost souls will be extinguished.
Surprisingly, many have completely written off the affected cities because crime as a
whole is at a low, which doesnt necessarily mean gang violence has been remedied. John
Buntin, a New York Times writer, states Since 1994, violent crime in the United States has
fallen by more than 40 percent (Buntin). Additionally, law enforcement and writers like Daniel
Wood boast of advances in forensic technology and powerful tools for detectives to take
advantage of against the many gangs in the United States (Wood). The first mistake of law
enforcement is that they treat gangs as if they are a well trained army but in reality it is
predominantly comprised of children, teenagers, and young men who are seeking protection and

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some form of family. In conclusion, many members of law enforcement and researchers believe
that crime being at a low means the warzones in some neighborhoods cannot be helped.
Although violence and crime may be in a down turn, the concentrated violence in the cities and
urban neighborhoods of America are still very prevalent.
Indeed, crime being at an all time low is groundbreaking and may begin a new era for the
United States; however, the violence that scourges Chicago, Los Angeles, New york and many
other cities must be approached in the sense that the citizens are only aware of the violence
surrounding them, and the all time low crime rate is completely irrelevant. For example, in
the past 20 years, the murder rate in the United States has dropped by almost half argues Wood.
On the other end of the spectrum, Monica Davey from the New York Times offers a perspective
from the crime-ridden city of Chicago:
As of Friday, 131 people had been killed here in the first months of 2016, an 84
percent rise in homicides from the same period in 2015. There had been 605
shootings, nearly twice as many as at this point last year. (Davey)
Similarly, Wall Street Journal reports that last year, 44 of the 65 largest police agencies,
including New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, reported increases in murders from 2014
(Murders on the Rise Again). Therefore, according to the research, the crime that is at an all
time low does not account for some of the largest cities in the country. Why must the
wholesome statistics of an entire country write off the ones losing their lives in the cities and
neighborhoods that are within it?
Can the smoldering flame of violence that trails throughout America be eventually
snuffed out? Many believe gangs are untouchable in a sense that no matter how many leaders
and members are placed in prison, more will emerge, similar to the heads of a hydra. According

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to Davey, gangs have become disorganized and have splintered into more factions. Law
enforcement must take the initiative to root out the source of the gangs: children and teenagers.
These adolescents seek out the comfort and the feeling of safety in gangs because it is all they
have (Buntin). A variety of strategies have been employed to prevent youth involvement in
gangs, including community organization, improving conditions for youth, early childhood
programs, school-based programs, and local clubs and afterschool programs explains James
Howell of the National Youth Gang Center. Athletes of all shapes and sizes are prime examples
of successful interventions. Richard Sherman, a National Football League all star who was born
in Compton, Los Angeles--crime-ridden and dangerous--later attended Stanford University.
Obviously, gang violence cannot be completely done away with in a few simple steps, but
intervening with children at a young age and establishing a bond between the police force and
the community could be a monumental step in the right direction. Nevertheless, something must
be changed in the crime stricken cities of America to be rid of gang violence.
Ultimately, the gang violence worsening in America can mean the complete decline of the
cities that it is home to. Sandy Banks, a writer for Los Angeles Times, establishes the danger of
the gangs and their leaders: gangbangers have become bolder, and the violence is less
predictable. Residents fear gangs more than they trust the police (Banks). Police brutality has
been at the forefront of news throughout 2016, and this distrust of the police that Banks mentions
will only serve to tighten the grip that gangs have on the neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that
once prospered will become shells of their former prosperity due to the ongoing fear of gang
retaliation. Therefore, the reformation of these gang members is vital to the survival of these
neighborhoods and cities.

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Gangs are terrorizing the lives of many throughout America, despite many viewing the
crimes as a blip on an overall low crime rate. This blip should be seen as a catastrophe, and
should be addressed in the same manner. The prevention of the deaths of many is one of the most
important goals of the government, and the gang violence that is surging through cities is
claiming hundreds to thousands every year. Why must those that were born into a harrowing
neighborhood be sacrificed because we simply cannot defeat the superpowers that are gang
networks? Someone who could have discovered a breakthrough cure for HIV, or completely
eradicated malaria, was shot dead in the street today and will never live to their full potential. If
nothing is done, this will be the tragic story day in and day out, but if these adolescents are given
a chance at a young age, anything can happen.

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Works Cited
Banks, Sandy. "Rising Violence; A New Generation of Gangs." Los Angeles Times. 03
Oct. 2015: B.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Buntin, John. "Peace in Gangland." New York Times Magazine. 14 Jul. 2013: 36. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Davey, Monica. "Violence Surges in Chicago Even As Policing Debate Rages on." International
New York Times. 30 Mar. 2016: 8. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Howell, James C. "Youth Gang Prevention and Strategies." OJJDP. U.S. Department of
Justice, Aug. 2000. Web. 5 May 2016.
Johnson, Kevin, Judy Keen, and William M. Welch. "Homicides Fall in Big Cities." USA
TODAY. 29 Dec. 2010: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Murders on the Rise Again." Wall Street Journal. 14 Mar. 2016: A.3. SIRS Issues Researcher.
Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Wood, Daniel B. "US Crime Rate At Lowest Point in Decades. Why America Is Safer Now."
Christian Science Monitor. 09 Jan. 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.