The gym at Alum Rock Youth Center on the Eastside was filled near capacity last Thursday evening when Mayor Chuck Reed held the first of four open forums on gang violence in San Jose and how to spend an additional $1 million towards the issue. While a cynic might say that the event was mere political theater—an attempt by the city leaders to quell growing frustrations about violence on the streets—it is undeniable that the forum did tap into the community’s authentic call to be included in the conversation of allocation of resources. The gathering was probably the first time I saw the city council, SJPD, parents, youth advocates, former gang members, and religious groups, all brainstorming from a position of collective problem-solving, rather than fighting over limited funding.
The forum began with words from the council members, the police chief and the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Taskforce. While some of the city employees quipped in the back about the dynamic between Mayor Reed and Councilwoman Campos (who spoke first, who got more mic time, etc.), the community members, some who came still wearing their uniforms from work, were intent on hearing what commitments were going to be made regarding their youth. While the consistent message from all the speakers was that gang violence was decreasing comparative to last year, there were also critical messages that can directly impact future policy decisions around gang prevention and intervention.
Two quotes in particular stood out. The first was the observation that youth between the ages of 15-19 are most likely to be both the victim and suspect in gang violence. The ages help narrow the perception of gang violence that in San Jose we are not talking about prison syndicates or Scarface boogeymen, but, rather, teens, schools, and the investment in both. That analysis seemed to be underscored when Mayor Reed said San Jose “cannot arrest our way out of this problem.” Reed said Davis himself would agree with this statement, and when Davis spoke, it almost felt like church. At one point he said, “Everyone in San Jose, including gang members, should be considered our brothers and loved ones.”
Let’s hope that this position touches ground, and soon. The reality is that although the common verbiage at the forum was that gang-related crime is not as high as other cities and is decreasing (down by 37% from last year), we have ballooning incarceration rates at our Santa Clara juvenile hall, hitting numbers that haven’t been seen in over 30 years. Couple this local reality with the broader statewide context given by the recent report from the California Judicial Council that finds that our juvenile court system is overly-impacted with caseloads and lacking in programming alternatives to incarceration, and the lofty rhetoric becomes a common-sense policy mandate. It also pointed out a missing player in the conversation: the District Attorney’s office. Every stakeholder in the criminal justice system was at the table except for the DA’s office, and that break in the chain, and competing policy directions around juvenile conviction strategies, could prove to be problematic down the road.
The theme that the way to reduce violence is to create support systems for teenagers, was echoed throughout the evening in small group discussions. Being the families who are at ground zero in terms of where gang violence exists, the over-simplified, kneejerk reaction of more police and more incarceration was replaced with more full-dimensional violence reduction approaches. Parents came to the meeting with ideas and posted action steps, such as expanded after-school programming, job placement programs, and community centers open during the evenings.
Of course, the elephant in the room was that the proposals that received the most support had the largest price tags. Even a million dollar investment can feel like a pebble in the ocean in terms of final impact, especially as the city faces a $25 million deficit and is likely preparing to cut some of the very programs forum participants were proposing to invest in.
The ball is now in the court of the mayor and the city council. Their actions will not only determine how gang prevention resources are spent, but will also show us how much consideration city decision-makers ultimately will give to community input.
“At some point we have to surrender to the fact that we have failed our selves as a community.”
Agreed. Latino community, heal thyself.
It starts and ends with education. No mystery there.
Feel good programs proposed by pandering politicians, community demands for funding midnight basketball, etc is 100% junk.
A culture that doesn’t value education will remain on the bottom rung.
Modeling good behavior for our children is a good start, and our leaders need to behave in a manner that sets a proper example of collaboration and teamwork. I was really disappointed when I read this in the Merc today.
http://origin.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_9092338
“It takes a village to raise a child.” Whether we have children of our own or not we can all be a part of the solution. We don’t need millions of dollars to help our youth. We need volunteers in our community to get involved and create innovative ways to engage them and keep them busy. We need to give them projects in the community like painting sports fields, coaching smaller boys and girls in sports, holding art shows that they can show and sell their art work to the public. We need to do anything and everything to show them that hard work and self respect/love does pay off. We as a community need to show them that we care deeply about each and every one of them, regardless of what cultural background they were born in. They are our tomorrows and they are our most valuable assets so we better start investing in their success and in their futures now.
In regard to #5, this is one of the very few times that Novice is correct.
Kathleen – I agree that there is a severe lack of collaboration and teamwork. Which action bothered you most – when Chuck Reed refused to collaborate with Nora on rebuilding Fire Station 2 or when he threw her off the Gang Task Force?
#3-Diane, I fully supported the Fire Station #2 rebuild! I toured the station and it is way too small. I spoke with the Fire Fighters too who explained how difficult it is to work and sleep out of that station. I went to Council and spoke up for the full rebuilding of the Fire Station because it really needs it.
As to Nora getting booted from the Gang Task Force, well I don’t know enough about it to honestly say whether it was right or wrong. But I will say this; Nora loves our youth and has always fought hard for them. She loves our City and has always tried to do right by it, and our community members. I do think our Mayor and Council need to work in a more collaborative, respectful way with one another. In some ways I wish Nora would try and get her point across in a more diplomatic way. Sometimes going to the press instead of working with someone in a more private manner can hurt your cause and your efforts to create change. Personality conflicts have no place in leadership. “Principles before personalities,” is the best path to follow. The Mayor and Council have a “code of conduct,” for us to follow during council Meetings but I think they need one for themselves too!
I know our Mayor really cares about our City and is very concerned about our youth and gangs. He appointed me to the Public Health and Safety Transition Committee and followed our recommendations very closely. He has always been concerned about the success of our youth and I don’t think anyone on the Council wants anything but the best for our youth, whether they are here legally or illegally.
#4- Gil, you are right on!
#5- Novice, I agree with you 100%! Education is VITAL to the success of our children. Unfortunately, our Governor seems to have forgotten that…
FYI!
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9103842
#5 Novice,
It is clear why you choose that name for yourself. You make an accusitory statement yet you make no recommendation to solve the issues of our Village.
We have been on this planet for what, a million years. You are missing the point Novice. It is you that is lost in the desert. The cave men did not have broken down school districts as we have had for many years. Don’t lay the blame on the Governor. Yet here we are. It will take compassion, empathy, and understanding to educate our children rather than import our brain trusts from India, China, or God knows from where.
There are so many families on the East Side that live their lives in harmony with the laws of community. Many are of Mexican decent.
Stereotyping is what separates you from the real heros that work daily to grow community.
A great example is the Mayor and Nora doing their work at the expence of community. Who’s on first? She gets dumped, and all of a sudden, the East Side is alive with motor cycle police and police cruisers. If it wasn’t so tragic it would be funny.
There is no money for the heavy drugs on the East Side that prevail in the more affluent districts of Santa Clara Valley.
Elmwood is filled with children that are addicted to meth. What , we can’t find the punks that are dealing in this drug? The problem is across the board, not just in the East Side. So what is driving this police state. Why is the Mayor and Nora dukeing it out publicly? Some one has to lead. But who?
Blanca, Nora, and Manny Diaz were representing the East Side for what, 20-30 years. Where does it end?
On the contrary, there are many Hispanic families that value education, and live in the East Side, South Side, West Side, & North Side.
It is easy to stand in the shadows and point fingers at folks beacuse of your prejudices. You can be helped as well Novice! It is never too late! We must act as One Village. Who will lead?
The Village Black Smith
#1 uncle jerry
Your responce to the problem in our community is saddening. It has not worked in Iraq. You’ll just drive the hard core druggies under ground.
I have noticed a stepped up profiling of stoppings lately. It has become a police state out here in the East Side.
The real issues are not talked about. Illigal immigration is blamed on the poor fool that thinks he can come to pick tomatoes and live happy ever after in the USA. Some one at the top has to change how we obtain on vegetables. Let’s not blame the kids for our heads in the sand approuch to our community. We’ve had that thrown at us for decades by lazy politicians and self serving individules.
We should all step up and help solve this delema. At some point we have to surrender to the fact that we have failed our selves as a community. Why do we keep asking our selves the questions that we all know the answers too!
The Village Black Smith
The way to stop gang bangers is to profile kids in cars!
Stop and search for weapons and warrants and the shooting will sure slow down.
Legal? who cares!
Betsy,
Our community doesn’t need the Mayor’s Gang Task Force to help our youth. We can help them by organizing study groups to help them become more educated so they don’t become frustrated and drop out of school. We can get them involved in sports and teach them how to play as a team. Small business owners can work to create jobs for these teens so they have money for food, clothes, and yes, even to help their families. There are tons of programs through large companies, non-profits, and at the City and County that allow youth to intern in professions that pay well. There are a million things we can do as a community to guide them and keep them safe.
I would ask you why children join gangs? Isn’t it because they are looking for a sense of family, belonging, and fitting in? Well then we need to give them that in a supportive healthy way. Too many parents work and their kids are left alone more than they should. Kids get in trouble because they are bored, lonely, and basically abandoned by us all. We need to address that.
I think it is wrong that everyone focuses on what the Mayor’s Gang Task Force does or doesn’t do about this problem. Parents need to get involved and stop passing the buck onto others. I think parents need to start taking responsibility for their own children. Our community needs to come together and work to ensure our kids succeed. I grew up back east and our community was close. I knew I could always go to my neighbor if I needed something. Some of my friend’s parents were like my own. The same goes for my friends with my parents.
I would challenge you to organize your community into action. I would say to you that your children’s success or failure is not contingent upon whether the Mayor and Council do what’s best for our youth, but what WE do. I personally tried to work in my neighborhood with kids and their parents, and they saw me as a babysitter, and as a get out of free jail card. I finally gave up because these parents were too lazy, and disinterested to take part in their kids wellbeing. Sad but true.
I get a wistfulness from most of you when writing about gang reduction. It is a kind of hope tinged with fear that the cost is too great so we talk in abstractions of services, education. I have to ask you some questions: how much does it cost to incarcerate a young person at (a) juvenile hall (b) at Elmwood (c) at the downtown jail?. How much does it cost to educate him or her taking into account nutritious food so she can think, parents spending time to be with their kids, well-paid professional teachers (I found that the teachers in the lower income schools are paid less which is hidden because the salaries are averaged together) How much? Does the Mayor’s gang task force include community members – you know – moms and pops and kids? Are people supported when they come up with new ideas? Not just these one-shot neighborhood forays. Are the police aware that when they dump on a kid in a threatening manner, the kid will act defensively? Is that what community policing is about – to develop adversarial relations with kids and their families? I think that’s enough for now. What I am suggesting is that there be a serious assessment of the cost of going through the court system and incarceration vs the cost of education and participating in a healthy life style. Where do we want to put our tax money: in an increasing criminal justice system (big business even though you say gang activity is down, incarcerations are up ) or in increasing healthy families and more satisfied youth able to meet life’s challenges? Betsy
Kathleen #11
Your encouragement is very inspiring, yet you finish with a quiters attitude. Those of us that understand that a Mayor’s Gang Task Force, is an attempt to raise awareness to an issue that has been plageing us for generatiions,will not see the day that Reed will speak about the eradication of gangs.
Why? because the problem stems from babyhood. With the brain power of our guetto children at risk by the slumlord conditions, with old lead paint and and unhealthy conditions that they have to live under, we see a new gereration of children that don’t fit into the structuered cooky cutter mentality of our equally disfuntional teachers.
These children come together to find some respite from the onslaught of the pressurers placed upon them by the police, educators, businesses, and partents that don’t understand, due to ignorance about the brain developmental problems that take place when that child is hand to mouth, ages 6mo. to 6 years old while ingesting lead partcles.
Trying to jail or arrest every teenager for drugs and gangs is going to take more then all the cops in the state. We have an epidemic of drug & meth abusers with in our own Village.
What is needed is a Task Force that will seek out these merchants of doom, that are giving these drugs to our children to get them started down that road to addiction
There are hundreds of web sites that disclose this fact.
It’s very upseting to see two adults taking “pot” shots at each other over gangs and drugs. Mayor Reed and Nora and the City council need to get serious about all of the issues that contribute to this community challenge.
It really saddens me to see so many cops stopping so many cars, searching and detaining those people that live in the neighbor hood. When was the last time there was a major drug bust. The drug merchants are winning that battle! Who are they?
It seem as though the profiling is a diversion from the lack of leadership,such as the immigration issue is to distract us from the real issues, the war in Iraq.
We’re broke, we import every dam thing that we don’t need, and we think that is progress.
We’ll get it when tomatoes are $8.00 per lb. and they all come from Chile or China.
On the lighter side, If tomatoes were planted in China, Mexicans would find a way to colonize there. 10 Million illigal Mexicans can’t be wrong, You think?
Fences are an obsurd idea. But it does serve to keep the illigal here, and not risk going back to visit their families. The Berlin Wall was such a wall.
If we compare what the corporations are doing today with other producing third world countries, and what the illigals are doing, there is some simularity to the reasons every one is going for broke.
Have a great week end. I’m leaving town until the cattle proding mentality clears all of the off ramps to the East Side over Cinco de Mayo. We can actually catch wild Salmon (Kokonee)in Lake Tahoe. Fish On!!!!
The Village Black Smith