Oakland Violence
The City of Oakland where we live is trying to make a change because Oakland has been very dangerous since the 80’s and 90’s. This happens in school fights and for being in a gang. To make Oakland safer and better, there needs to be no more gangs and less fights in schools.
The best way to get rid of gangs is creating more places where people can be safe. An example, can be a place in Alameda County where police is everywhere. We need places where police can always be around. We already have parks, but there’s no police or a security around checking. An example can be the park Cesar Chavez at Foothill Boulevard and 37th Ave. There’s always a lot of young people just smoking and in the night people in Oakland can’t go there because it is dangerous. That’s why we need more places where police can be around the zone. For example, police agencies may choose to proactively increase foot patrol in a crime hot spot in an effort to reduce the rate of vandalism, car theft or break-ins, burglaries, robberies, assaults, or other crimes. The heightened police presence and visibility aims to increase an offender’s perception that he may be apprehended if he takes advantage of crime opportunities at that hot spot.
Another way to get rid of violence because of gangs is having more programs in schools. For example, it can be a job in the library, it can be swimming classes, also it can be a football team. Or, a place where the young people can be distracted and they don’t have to be in the streets involved in gangs and doing bad things. For example, in the case of Mario, a young boy of 14 years old. His experiences in the streets and drugs was something that he does not want back. He always was involved in school fights for being in a gang called “Reyes Surenos 13.” He is from Guatemala and when he came to Oakland everything changed in his life. He said, “One time I saw how the other people treat me just for don’t know English and then there was when I understand that you have to treat them like they treat you” (Lopez). His first gun that he bought with his money was when he was 13 years old and he bought it to shoot the guy that always bullied him. He said, “I was about shoot but I’m not that strong” (Lopez). Mario likes to play soccer and if he had a school team or program maybe he could be involved in that and not school fights or gangs.
To decrease the fights at schools the district can create a program like the program LMB “Latin Man and Boys” and “Joven Noble.” These programs involve young boys and they receive help from a mentor that is always there for them. They learn about where they come from and they are always together helping each other like if they were brothers. Also, they give them jobs for summer and they go on field trips . That is a better way to decrease the fights in schools. Oakland doesn’t want more school gangs, or cases like the case of Gerry Gonzalez that happened in Coliseum College Prep. In the article “Oakland Student Survives Gang Violence, Hones In On College Degree” by Sherry Hu and Christina Arce they explained what happened to Gerry and said, “It’s kind of like a double life. He said. His first shooting was when he was nine years old. We doesn’t want that type of violence more” (Hu and Arce) .
In conclusion, to decrease the violence in Oakland that are caused by gangs and fights for young people Oakland needs more programs and police in parks. Let’s make the change for a better Oakland.
Work Cited
Lopez, Mario. “Mario .” 12 Dec. 2018. I know Mario since 7th grade from middle school we went to the same middle school, I interview Mario because he is a student from skyline and skyline is one of the most high school with more fights . Mario told me that his first day at skyline he fought.
christina arce. “Oakland Student Survives Gang Violence, Hones In On College Degree.” CBS San Francisco, CBS San Francisco, 26 Sept. 2017, sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/09/26/oakland-student-gang-violence-students-rising-above/. this article is about gang violence this article is credible because is published by CBS SF Bay area a big newspaper publisher.
erick vargas. “Latino Men & Boys.” The Unity Council, unitycouncil.org/program/lmb/. this article is about LMB a program where help young people this article is credible because is published by the unit council .
“Read ‘Proactive Policing: Effects on Crime and Communities’ at NAP.edu.” National Academies Press: OpenBook, www.nap.edu/read/24928/chapter/6. this article shows how more police help to decrease the violence.
Brian, thanks for sharing. I think as a whole in the U.S. we need to get rid of gun violence as quick as possible to make our country a better place.
Brian, I thought your article posed a lot of great ideas that definitely need to be heard. I thought your stories that included first hand experience with Oakland were fascinating. I enjoyed how you tried to make schools safer and propose new ideas that may serve as a compromise to both sides of gun control. I thought your suggestion for kids to become more involved in after school activities was very interesting. Here is an article you might like https://youth.gov/feature-article/gang-prevention-overview-research-and-programs . It discusses why kids join gangs and how to prevent that from happening. Let me know what you think! Do you think kids join gangs because of peer pressure.
Brian,
This piece is very informative. Great job providing specific examples and stories to showcase solutions to Oakland violence. I love the idea of young gang members finding jobs and joining sports teams to keep them off the streets. In addition, programs like LMB and Joven Noble seem very successful. Here is a link to the website of Father Gregory Boyle, a catholic priest, who has founded an organization to help gang members lead good lives.
https://homeboyindustries.org/our-story/father-greg/
Dear Brian,
I agree with what you said. If the educational system put more fundings in extracurricular activities, students would not be force to be involved in gangs affair and continue the school-to-prison pipeline system. It is really unfortunate that an unsupportive environment can lead a student to fall into the path of the gang life.
For your post to be better, I think it might be better if you proof read or clarify what you are trying to say. For example “Another way to get rid of violence because of gangs is having more programs in schools”, this sentence does not grammatically makes sense and can make it confusing for readers to understand what you are trying to say.
Thanks for your writing, I can’t wait to read more because your writing makes me reflect about our society and the changes we need to make so that every students can be successful and not get involved in the gang life.
Dear Brian :
I agree with a lot of what your article, “Oakland Violence” says, because… it shows us the harsh realities that some cities in America endure. I also think our cities should actively attempt to give these troubled people a way out of the life or violence.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “Another way to get rid of violence because of gangs is having more programs in schools. For example, it can be a job in the library, it can be swimming classes, also it can be a football team.” I think this is a great suggestion because… it should lessen the amount of kids that end up in gangs.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because… I find these types of subjects really interesting. I also like that you used a person you knew in your life that had these sorts of experiences.
Miguel
Dear Brian,
I am surprised by what you had said about “Oakland Violence” because you don’t really see articles that have guns and schools involved because some people don’t really know that the outcome of that is dangerous. You try to come up with ideas to make the school a better environment.
One sentence that you wrote that stands out for me is “To decrease the fights at schools the district can create a program like the program LMB “Latin Man and Boys” and “Joven Noble.” These programs involve young boys and they receive help from a mentor that is always there for them. They learn about where they come from and they are always together helping each other like if they were brothers”. This sentence stood out to me the most because me myself, I have taken the class Joven Noble and it teaches you the steps into becoming a young man and it won’t happen over night, it’s a journey to go through these steps.
Thank you for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because the fact that you took your time and found statistics to find how much violence there was in Oakland says a lot about the kids there and how it’s a very dangerous environment. I really want to read what you have next, great job.
Jesus
Dear, Brian
I am amazed by your blog “Oakland Violence” because it talks about real things in Oakland. You also mention real stories for example the one about Mario and that really adds to your blog because its a perspective that like they have first hand experience in the things that go on in Oakland.
One sentence that you wrote that stands out for me is : “Another way to get rid of violence because of gangs is having more programs in schools. For example, it can be a job in the library, it can be swimming classes, also it can be a football team. Or, a place where the young people can be distracted and they don’t have to be in the streets involved in gangs and doing bad things.” This stood out for me because you are giving great examples and if someone who can create a change read this they can make it happen.
Another sentence that I liked was “In conclusion, to decrease the violence in Oakland that are caused by gangs and fights for young people Oakland needs more programs and police in parks. Let’s make the change for a better Oakland.” This stood out for me because its at the end and it’s like very inspiring and it’s a great way to end it off.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next , because your writing is good and very interesting and to be honest me personally I really like it.Also for the reason that you use real examples and different perspectives.