Strategic Risk Of Gang Violence In School - Case Study Example

Strategic Risk Of Gang Violence In School Gang violence in the school system poses a serious risk to students and teachers who come to school daily. Gangs are present in most of Metro Nashville schools. They have been known to cause violence by fighting rival gangs on school campus, or by bringing weapons to solve their problems. In an effort to understand what gang violence is, the meaning of the word gang must be established. According to National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations (NAGIA): A gang is a group or association of three or more persons with a common identifying sign, symbol, or name who individually or collectively engage in criminal activity that creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Gangs also are defined by the geographic areas in which they operate (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009) KEY FINDINGS Nashville’s gang Unit is aware of a number of gangs including: 1. Gangster Disciples - Primarily rule in North and East Nashville 2. Crips - In North and East Nashville 3. Surreno 13 or Sur 13 - In North and South of the city 4. Mara Salvatrucha or MS 13 - In South Nashville; 5. Bloods – In North and Central Nashville; 6. Asian Pride Gang or APG – In South Nashville and Hermitage 7. Brown Pride or BP - In South and North Nashville 8. Kurdish Pride or KPG - In South Nashville. Another key finding shows that gang riots are a new form of high intensity school fight. The gang riot always involves one or more street gangs, and the fight always has three or more people fighting. It is not uncommon to see twenty or more involved in the fight. There are many variations on the specific motivations or causes, but invariably the dispute involves a “status threat” to the gang or the collective gang identity. Someone may “put down” the gang, fail to recognize the dominant role it plays, or not show sufficient deference to the gang or its members. In such cases, the gang becomes indignant and seeks to punish those who would challenge its authority or status. When the rivalry is between two different schools in the same geographical area, all imaginable forms of conflict are possible. Gangs can play a large part in the start and persistence of the feuds, as territorial boundaries of the rival schools may sometimes also reflect ongoing and longstanding gang turf wars or battles. A prime example of this is a high intensity school fight that arose in Garland, Texas when gang shout-outs’ were exchanged on the internet and the fight was arranged via an online chat room used by gang members. The result was a massive fight, with nearly 30 high school students arrested. In a survey conducted by the National Gang Research Criminal Center by Dr. Knox ,in 2005, questions ask about gang violence in grades pre-k through 12th grade. The findings include: The survey asked “during the last year, have there been any gang shootings nearby the geographical location of your school?” (Knox, 2008). Roughly 26.1 percent of the respondents indicated “yes”, that there had in fact been gang shooting near their school in the last year. A fourth of Americans schools report a gang shooting near their school in the last year (2008). The survey asked “please estimate what percentage of the threats of violence in your school last year were caused by or involved gang members or gang associates” (2008). Here the mean result indicates that 12.4 percent of the threats of violence were gang-related (caused by or involved gang members/associates) (2008). More than a third of American schools report gang activity.  The survey included the question “are there periodically any gang conflicts between students in your school?” 37.7 percent answered “yes”, while 62.3 percent indicated “no” (2008). In 2008, in a Newschannel 5 interview, Metro Nashville Metro's assistant superintendent for student services, Ralph Thompson said “gang-related assaults were up 13 percent.” When gangs exist in a community, they can have serious negative impacts on schools, using them as recruitment centers and claiming them as gang territory (National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center 2007). A report issued by the U.S. Department of Education and Justice (2007) found that the percentage of students reporting gangs at school nearly doubled between 1989 and 1995. To further complicate the situation, some students feel that belonging to gangs may be a type of self-protection, in response to threatening school and community environments (2007). The National Education Association (NEA) has developed a 'Safe Schools Framework,' to help communities identify and deal with gangs. In its 1997 report, Youth Gangs: Findings & Solutions for Schools, Communities & Families, NEA (2007) recommends involving schools, communities, and families to develop plans for eliminating gangs and making schools safe. After determining whether the problem is emerging or chronic, this group of stakeholders can devise appropriate responses that include prevention, intervention, and suppression components. Low numbers, however, “may camouflage the impact that the presence of gangs has on a school” (Burnett, 2009). Gangs play a significant role in the widespread increase of violence in schools. School violence has indeed increased steadily. A 1978 National Institute of Education study, Violent Schools-Safe Schools (2009), found that school-aged children were at a higher risk of suffering from violence in school, than anywhere else. This is explained by the fact that gangs are, by definition, organized groups, and are often actively involved in drug and weapons trafficking. The mere presence of gangs in schools can increase tensions there. It can also increase the level of violence in schools, even though gang members themselves may not be directly responsible for all of it. Both gang members and non-gang members are arming themselves with increased frequency (Burnett, 2009). Students in schools with a gang presence are twice as likely to report that they fear becoming victims of violence, as opposed to their peers at schools without gangs. Gangs create a "tenacious framework" within which school violence can take root and grow (2009). Schools with gang members are no longer considered neutral turf. They suffer from gang-related violence "spilling over" from the streets. Schools themselves are rapidly becoming centers of gang activities, functioning particularly as gang recruitment and socialization sites (2009). Finally, gangs can spread unexpectedly from school to school, as students transfer from gang-impacted schools to gang-free schools, leading to an unintentional spillover of gang activity in the new school. The strategic aim of this risk assessment is to reduce gang violence in the Metro Nashville school systems. Through a control strategy, the aim shall incorporate the community, and local law enforcement, as well as non-profit groups working collectively to combat gang violence in the school systems. Prevention of gang involvement must begin in the most preventive settings available, in the early years of educational formation in the home and school. This will help reinforce positive alternatives that are socially acceptable, rather than the false security and sense of belonging of disastrous gang culture, that ends only in disillusionment, prison or death. THREATS, HARMS, AND VULNERABILTIES POSED TO METRO NASHVILLE SCHOOLS SYSTEM The threat of gang violence on the street spilling into Metro schools, and gangs fighting over territory, are threats that can pose a security risk to students and faculty member in any school system. In November 2009, Glencliff High School had to request an extra presence of law enforcement personnel, due to gang violence from the streets spilling into their school. The problems resulted from Sureno-13 and Brown Pride gang fighting each other on and off school campus. Glencliff High senior Jeffery Mitchell said “the situation is out of control” (Martin, 2009). He also indicated that two rival gangs are battling at least twice a week (2009). One fight was bad enough that there was blood on the floor at the school. “The fights get pretty hectic. They fight outside and walking up the street going home," said Mitchell (2009). “They are fighting over territory” (2009). The next day law enforcement personnel were called back to Glencliff High School, based on rumors of a mass gang fight between Sureno-13 and Brown Pride. The second threat to Metro School systems is guns in the hands of gangs, which can result in gang shooting near and within schools. Tennessee is very strong in supporting the right to bear arms. Consequently, the gun laws have become less stringent. As a result, Brown Pride gang leader “Gordo” has bragged about purchasing hand guns without background checks, in a History Channel interview called Gangland. This is a serious problem in Tennessee. An individual can go to gun dealer and purchase a gun without a background check. My greatest concern, in this assessment for Metro school system, is the worst case scenario in which rival gangs take the fight from the streets to the schools. Such actions could lead to mass casualty among students and faculty staff members in the school. It is just a matter of time, before the fists stop being thrown at each other and bullets start flying. Armed guards alone do not provide complete reassurance against the threat of a violent outside attack (Knox, 2008). Hiring the best and brightest, with the biggest guns, gives no assurance that brutal attacks will be prevented (2008). Consider the case of the violent incident at the John McDonogh High School in New Orleans (2008). On April 14, 2003, roughly 200 students watched as a teen, with several other juvenile accomplices, attacked the John McDonogh High School in New Orleans, firing an AK-47 assault rifle, killing one male student, and wounding three female students (2008). This school had both security guards and a police officer present. But, it was not enough to deter what is believed to be a gang-related retaliation. Gang members are not afraid of police, or going to jail (2008). In addition to guns, the Metro-Nashville school system should also be concerned about other weapons that are brought onto campus, such as knives. Even gang members, who are in fear of other gang members targeting them, tend to bring weapons on school campuses for protection. Furthermore, school graduation tends to be a highly targeted event, where gang violence is escalated between rival gangs. In 2008, a 15-year-old was shot while leaving the Whites Creek High School graduation ceremony, held at Tennessee State University (NewsChannel5, 2009). This incident was also gang related. An additional threat posed to Metro-Nashville School system comes from a different ethnic part of Nashville. The new and emerging gang Kurdish Pride has been involved in gang related violence, with the Gangster Disciples at Glencliff High school. FUTURE FORECAST OF GANG VIOLENCE IN THE METRO NASHVILLE SCHOOL SYSTEM According to the National Gang Intelligence Center (2009), “the increased migration of Hispanic gangs into the region has resulted in violent confrontations with local African American gangs, for control of gang territories.” The Metro School board and school system should be gravely concerned about the friction between the Sureno-13 and Brown Pride. Based on past information between these two gangs, the tension runs deep. My greatest concern between these two gangs is the tension that may boil over from the streets, onto to the school campuses, with weapons such as guns utilized to carry out violence against each other. This type of altercation can lead to mass casualties of student and faculty members, who might get caught in the crossfire of the rival gangs. According to Detective John Cregan (2009) of Metro Nashville Gang Unit, he get a lot calls dealing with gang members converging on a rival gang member in physical fights. Detective Cregan also said there are so many ethnic groups in Nashville, White, Black, Hispanic and Kurdish, that there is really not one gang that set themselves apart as being the most violent in the school system. Each of them will have their moments when violence escalates in the schools. This future forecast does not discount other gangs such as the Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciple, Kurdish Pride, or Asian Pride from carrying out violence on the school campus. Finally, Metro School system should be concerned about two factors within the school system. The first concern is gangs using weapons on the school campus to carry out violence and the second concern is gang members ganging up on rival gang member on school campuses. RECOMMENDATION Term Color Key Certain Red Gangs or individual gang members have escalated violence to the highest level by utilizing weapons such as guns or knives to cause violence on school campus. High Orange Rumors have been confirmed of a gang fight on school campus, and gangs or gang member have escalated tension by utilizing violence. Medium Yellow Low Medium Threats or rumors of gang fights or violence will probably occur on school campus. Nil Blue Little or no gang violence will occur. Figure 9.1 demonstrate a strategic early warning system that can be incorporated in the Metro-Nashville school system. Each day a panel of selected faculty members can meet with the principal, to discuss the threat level of day. The principal can either raise or lower the threat level. The corresponding threat color of the day can be emailed to all teachers, principals, and the School Resource Officer. This will serve to alert faculty members at each school of the potential for gang violence within their school system. Other recommendations can include establishing a faculty advisory council to monitor gang activity, which includes the School Resource officer and Metro-Nashville Gang Unit Officer. This will encourage information sharing among all schools, regarding gang violence on school campuses. Information sharing is vital. Milwaukee School Security chief Jerry Mourning urges schools to keep abreast of gang rivalries. "You need to know what's happening in the community. What happens over the weekend, we handle on Monday mornings" (Stover, 1986). In Chicago, the school board receives monthly reports on student assaults from each school, to give them an overview of citywide trends (1986). Another recommendation is to train teachers in identifying signs of gang violence. Police expertise can benefit schools. In Chicago, police have trained 6,000 teachers to identify gang behaviors. Milwaukee school administrators and police meet periodically, to exchange information on gang activities. Police can also train school staff to handle armed or violent youths (1986). In addition to information sharing, schools must identify students at risk for severe academic or behavioral difficulties early on, and create services and supports that address risk factors, while building protective factors for them (National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, 2008). Approximately 10 to 15% of students exhibit problem behaviors, indicating a need for early intervention (2008). These students often become involved in gang activity, so it is important for staff to be trained in recognizing early warning signs and making appropriate referrals (2008). A number of approaches have been developed for interventions at this stage, including anger management training, structured after-school programs, mentoring, groups and family counseling, changing instructional practices, and tutoring (2008). The next recommendation is that schools and public safety officials consider gang activity differently than one-on-one, isolated incidents (Kemp, 2008). Otherwise, the problem may escalate so quickly that a school lunchroom fight between rival gang members will escalate into a potential drive-by shooting hours later, at school dismissal (2008). School officials must still discipline individual students involved in gang offenses on a case-by-case need, based upon their individual actions in violating school rules. However, educators must see the forest for the trees, and recognize that these offenses are an interrelated part of a broader pattern of gang-related misconduct and violence (2008). Appendix I: GANGS Crips- The Crips, a fierce rival of the Bloods gang,  are an extremely violent street gang which originated in Los Angeles, California in the late 1960's (Walker, 2009).  The original Crips were a Black gang was first reported on the campus of Washington High School in South-Central Los Angles (2009). During the early 1970's the gang grew and branched out to other parts of Los Angeles County (2009). These new subsidiary street gangs were known as sets and they used the term "Crips" in their individual gang name - i.e. Harbor City Crips, Compton Ave Crips (2009). Bloods- The Bloods street gang began at the Centennial High School in Compton, California and were originally known as the Piru gang - Piru meaning Piru Street in Compton, California (2009). Traditionally, the Bloods street gangs have always worn red colors, using red bandannas or red rags; similar graffiti and graphic styles, emphasizing disrespect for Crips and Crips symbols (2009). Recently, a new trend appears to have arisen (2009). Bloods in some eastern states have reportedly been known to wear brown, tan and rust or burnt orange colors to represent "dried" blood (2009). They have also been known to wear pink, a variation of the color red (2009) Mara Salvatrucha – "Mara" is a Salvadoran word for gang, and "Salvatrucha" means Salvadoran guy (2009). Mara Salvatrucha is also known as Mara Salvatrucha 13, MS 13, and MS XIII. They consider the number “13” to be lucky and it also shows an alliance with Southern California Hispanic gangs (2009). The number “13” is a reference to the thirteenth letter of the alphabet which is “M.” “M” is synonymous with La Eme or the Mexican Mafia (2009). Gangster Disciples is one of the most violent of four African-American gangs that hang out on the south side of Chicago. They are known for their violence and the distribution of crack cocaine (FBI, 2009). Brown Pride (B.P.L) – This gangs color are brown and tan. This party associates with "People" faction, particularly with the Latin Kings (Hammond Police Department, 2009). This gang opposes any member of its rival gang, the Gangster Disciples (2009). This gang is willing to assist the Latin Kings in any situation (2009). Asian Pride Gang- In 1996, two rival Asian gang leaders met in state prison and agreed to end hostilities between the Asian Crip gang and the Southern Bloods, according to local gang investigators (Ragunathan, 2007). Their meeting led to the creation of the Asian Pride Gang (2007). Asian Pride gang members wear red bandanas and Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers. They listen to Tupac Shakur and flash hand signs (2007). Appendix II MAP OF NUMBER OF GANG MEMBERS IN SOUTH EAST REGION (Source, Figure 12.1, National Gang Threat Assessment, 2009) References Burnett, G. Gangs in School (2009). Retrieved on December 6, 2009 from http://www.gwcinc.com/Gangs%20in%20School.html. Federal Bureau of Investigation (2009). Gangster Disciples. Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/gangsterdisciples.htm. Hammon Police Department (2009). Street Gang Awarness: Brown Pride. Retrieved on December, 14, 2009 from http://www.hammondpolice.com/gangp10bpl.htm. Knox, G. (2008). Findings From The K-12 Survey Project: A Special Report of the NGCRC Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from: http://www.ngcrc.com/report/k12report.htm. Martin, J. (2009). 2 Gangs Become Problematic In Metro Schools: 6 Suspected Gang Members Arrested At Overton High School Last Month. Retrieved on December 12, 2009 from http://www.wsmv.com/education/21668234/detail.html. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center. (2008). School Violence Fact Sheet. Retrieved on December 13, 2009 from http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/facts/school.asp. NewsChannel5. (2009). Shooting Follows High School Graduation. Retrieved December 10, 2009 from http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=6568732. NewsChannel5. (2008). Fewer Weapons, Drugs Collected In Metro Schools. Retrieved on December 10, 2009 from http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8374130. Ragunathan, A, (2007). Legal system trying to keep up with prolific Asian gangs. Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from: http://www.knowgangs.com/news/july07/0715.php Stover, Del. (1986). A New Breed of Youth Gang Is on the Prowl and a Bigger Threat Than Ever. American School Board Journal. 173,8:19-24,35. EJ 338 808. The National Gang Intelligence Center & The National Drug Intelligence Center. (2009). National Gang Threat Assessment 2009. Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from http://www.fbi.gov/publications/ngta2009.pdf. Trump, K. (2007). National School Safety and Security Services. Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/gangs.html. Walker, R. (2009). Gangs Or Us. Retrieved on December 14, 2009 from http://www.gangsorus.com/index.html Read More