RSSCounty's $500K gang initiative passes in U.S. Senate
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Yakima County Gang Initiative legislation worth $500,000 has passed the U.S. Senate as part of the 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill. It will be reconciled with similar legislation in the U.S. House.
The initiative will develop service programs to address the problems associated with youth gangs in the county, bringing together a coalition of federal, tribal and local law enforcement agencies. The effort will focus on prevention, suppression and intervention.
"As gang violence continues to escalate in Yakima, it is critical that local agencies have the resources they need to combat it now and to prevent it in the future," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in announcing the passage of the bill by a 71-28 vote.
Sheriff Ken Irwin said in a news release that the rapid increase in gang-related violence called for state and federal assistance.
Thanks Wa. state lawmakers, we can use all the help we can get. Ironic this vote came after our county vote for justice taxes. Wonder what else will be coming to light?
Report Violation"Justice and Science appropriations bill"
You can leave science out of this. There is no science involved with this kind of legislation.
politicians alone make up these kinds of laws with no evidence from science to support their claims.
Does anyone know what this means to our county?
What does it mean when they say the initiative will develop service programs to address the problems associated with youth gangs in the county, bringing together a coalition of federal, tribal and local law enforcement agencies. Does that mean that they have $500,000 to develop a task force made up of federal, tribal and local law enforcement to TALK about gangs or does it mean that we are spending $500,000 on gang enforecement agents to be out on the street patroling and enforcing? Have there been any changes made to increase penalties for those who are caught engaging in gang related activity?
Anyone have answers to this? I am truly perplexed. I may just be hung up on the wording...$500,000, service program and coalition.
@FreeToSpeak:
http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=315026
Prevention: This component will focus on establishing an environment in schools with zero tolerance for gang behavior. Gang members and at-risk youth are closely monitored and expanded services provide a healthy alternative to gang activity.
Suppression: This component provides crisis intervention assistance to law enforcement units immediately after a gang youth is picked up. Community service organizations provide case management, mentoring, referral, and ongoing work with parents and youths.
Intervention: The intervention component consists of Functional Family Therapy especially tailored for working with gang youths and their parents. Treatment for youth with mental illness and substance abuse problems will be available through an accredited treatment center. Educational and vocational training services will comprise another priority project focus.
I say we get more money to expand the juvie jail and hire more probation officers. These kids laugh in the face of the justice system b/c they know nothing ever happens to them. And when the are on probation- the P.O's have way too many kids to watch over. You can't assign 60 or more kids to one P.O and expect them to be able to do anything.
Report ViolationI'm with Jay on this one. This is nearly the same platform that Ben Soria ran on, and lost, for City Council - a democrat/style boondoggle of money spent on social services for those that least deserve it, in my opinion.
Programs like the YPD YPAL are a good thing. Much of that program is run by volunteers and overseen by YPD personnel. There is a "0" tolerance for gang activity or members there - they have to clean up and quit their gang before they can be in the program. There are quite a few "At risk" kids in there but seem to be really nice and receptive to the goals of the program.
I like the "0" tolerance in school thing. Teachers try to recognize any gang activity or colors already, especially in our high schools, but much more education of the people in authority is needed. YPD has an EXCELLENT gang presentation that is a great starter. It should be a mandatory class for teachers and administrators as part of their continuing education requirements.
Another is to increase Block Watch patrols in neighborhoods. The more people out there watching, the better.
However, the BEST policy would be a "0" tolerance in the entire cities and county by all law enforcement agencies, including massive and instant harassment of known and suspected gangers. Quit worrying about threats from the ACLU and put safety of our citizens above their false claims of profiling and such. The gangs might just go elsewhere out of frustration.
Another thought just occurred to me - Since it is a known fact that local gangs are the retail outlets for nearly all drugs, why wouldn't the Feds pay up some big bucks from the "War in Drugs" billions they waste on that program? It has turned into a massive foreign aide boondoggle, and much of the money ends up in corrupt politician's hands and also the cartels themselves.
Report Violation@FreeToSpeak:
http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=315026
Prevention: This component will focus on establishing an environment in schools with zero tolerance for gang behavior. Gang members and at-risk youth are closely monitored and expanded services provide a healthy alternative to gang activity.
Suppression: This component provides crisis intervention assistance. Community service organizations provide case management, mentoring, referral, and ongoing work with parents and youths.
Intervention: The intervention component consists of Functional Family Therapy especially tailored for working with gang youths and their parents.
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Really this boils down to $500,000 of parenting for these you. This only puts a bandaid on the issue and won't help. It would be easy for the youth or families, simply decline these services. Gangs will continue to grow and grow.
What needs to happen is 0 TOLERANCE. These gangsters don't mind going to jail. They probaly have homies in there that can help protect them. What we need to do is make if very uncomfortbale for them. We need to make the choice of joining a gang unnattractive to them. Not Oh, lets counsel and coddle you and your family. Send all of them to an Iraqi jail. When there time is up there, release them to Iraq and see if they can find there way back. I guarantee they won't come back here again.
MyYakima
I certainly hope that the "expanded services" that will be paid for do no include anymore "illegal" youth centers like we have all around Yakima. The Union Gospel Mission youth center on South 4th as far as I know is illegal and was never zoned for it, in addition their past director who I understand left in a cloud bought a house next to Barge Lincoln and hung his shingle out as a "new" youth center. He was definetly not legal two years ago, and I doubt if he is now. These youth centers encourage the kids to run around at night in the worst parts or town and encourage the single illegal alien mothers to think parenting is a breeze in Yakima. Why are we allowing these illegal operations in Yakima? There was even a guy right out in the open at the Union Gospel center in broad daylight in an underground stairwell paying kids to take their tops and pants off and when the litle kids tried to tell the director he said he had to continue to give his sermon. Make them legal or get rid of them. The predators hang out around them. Come on , do you think we are all really that doumb? Quit bringing the illegals up here and doing this to them and their kids. They could be peacefully sitting at home eating dinner and watching tv with their family. When the guy was paying the kids to desrobe the parents wouldn't let their kids go there anymore so the @#$% fool director started getting out on his roof with a megaphone to make sure that the worried parents were not going to succeed in their efforts to protect their children. I call on somebody new to watch this money very carefully and not allow any of it to go these "illegal" youth centers or where the chiildren are not protected from all the disgusting perverts in Yakima. These centers are in areas where there are a lot of sex offenders and that doesn't include illegal alien offenders. We don't need idiots with megaphones luring kids away from their poor but safe homes.
Duh Why am I the only one of you "Yakima experts" who dares say what is really rotting Yakima. If your business is really corruption disguised as a da_n fool saint then get the heck out of Dodge. Please before I puke. Is there really any other town in the country that this kind of stuff is actually happening? Illegal youth centers attracting young children until 10:00 at night right in the heart of a mass of convicted pedophiles? And Christians are actually stupid enough to be supporting them but not brave enough or smart enough to see what is really going on? Good God
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