Kerry wants zero-tolerance for gang violence

[LiberalVoice]

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Democrat John Kerry says as president he would direct a zero-tolerance policy for gang violence and spend more on programs aimed at steering urban youth away from crime.

Kerry was announcing his plan Thursday at a convention of the Urban League, which also will hear from President Bush on Friday.

The group is meeting in Detroit, a Democratic stronghold in a key presidential battleground state.

"We can do so much better," Kerry said in remarks prepared for delivery, "better for the communities that are living in fear because of gang violence, and better also for these young people who have a real future if we reach out to them."

"We need to send young people a strong, clear message that there is another path, and if they are willing to take that path, we will be there with them with job training, job opportunities, and drug treatment."


http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/22/kerry.violence.ap/index.html

[baldguy]

1. How about this gang?

[David__77]

2. No doubt about it: anti-gang laws are racist.

"...new offenses are being created which only apply to those designated by the state as gang members. Public nuisance laws, particularly in California, are being used to prohibit gang members from many activities within areas defined by local authorities. Some of these activities include otherwise legal ones such as appearing in public together or carrying cellular telephones."

"The cumulative effect of such measures and newer anti-gang legislation is to marginalize strata of youth with few opportunities to engage in legitimate economic activity. The unemployment rate among youth of color is substantially higher than the rate of unemployment among white youth. Schools with concentrations of youth of color largely suffer from worse academic performance, less experienced instructors and more on-site criminal incidents than other schools."

(I did a paper on the subject of these new "Jim Crow" laws a couple of years ago...)