The Answer Is Better Gangs

I live in a populous metropolis, and as such, I'm fairly confident that many of my neighbors are affiliated. There's plenty of graffiti around, and I see gang colors that are recognizable and fairly uniform.

The trouble is that gang information just can't be had. If you try to look up statistics on gangs or how to identify different ones, or maybe a profile of some sets in your community, that's not available. And for obvious reasons: it's law enforcement-related intelligence. It's all locked up in gang-unit files and not for public consumption. You can't ask gang members, because they're sworn to secrecy too. So an unaffiliated white guy like me just walks around town, more or less oblivious to gang activity, because it really doesn't happen in the open.

It's often a blind spot for me, too. I think, why can't the landlady/police/city do something about X problem or Y situation? And I think, oftentimes, the answer is organized crime. Because gangs rule the cities block by block, and so the law-and-order types are just sort of bystanders hoping things don't get out of hand. And things are peaceful. Things would probably be a lot more violent if gangs didn't have a detente going. So I can appreciate that they keep the peace too, after a fashion.

I think I need to keep in mind that gangs are a family first, and criminals second. They provide a much-needed structure for young people to survive and exist out there, and that structure isn't being provided by families or churches anymore. So who can blame them? Where else would they turn? Can't we all just get along?