Gang Intervention Program - Essay Example

The prosecution suppression program Operation Hardcore was initially formed in 1979 by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.  This is the original prosecution program that aimed to restrain brutal juvenile gang crimes that are severe.  Operation Hardcore led to lesser caseloads, further investigative reports, vertical prosecution, and resources to help victims of gang-related offenses (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000). Currently operating as Hardcore Gang Division (Operation Hardcore), the program is said to be a total success since it provided more convictions for all types of charges and prison/confinement for program subject cases in comparison with cases of the same nature that underwent the standard prosecution procedure.  Operation Hardcore is a reputable program that established improvements in managing and administering criminal justice processes on cases involving gang defendants (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000). On the other hand, police hands-on work or police response is the second aspect of gang suppression programs which began during the early 1980s in the Southwest to deal with the rising problems of youth and adult gangs. This program was implemented by having police officers do gang intelligence work like surveillance and neighborhood cruising in a caravan of patrol cars (caravanning) (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000).  Police response utilizes the implementation of gang sweeps, intensified police patrol, or saturation to apply pressure on gangs and marked hotspots.  Such a method however is not considered successful due primarily to factors like inadequate police training for such operations, highly structured gang organization, and diversified gang criminal activities; which usually leads to quite several arrests that end in a few charges (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000).  Some studies on police response also show that while the operation is still in existence the number of gang activities tends to diminish; but once the operation ceases, the numbers of gang and gang-related activities start almost immediately (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000).

            The third aspect of gang suppression programs is geo mapping and tracking systems which incorporate the use of computers for necessary databases, management information systems (MIS), criminal ID, and tracking.  The geomapping and tracking system was primarily used during the early 1990s by the Anti-Gang Office and Task Force established by the Mayor of Houston, Texas. Other states also had similar systems like the Gang Incident Tracking System (GITS) in Orange County, California, and the ICAM program of the Chicago, Illinois Police Department. While these systems provide indispensable information about gangs and their activities it is quite difficult to establish an individual’s gang connection due to a sporadic and occasional alliance with the group, or leaving the gang by drifting out and slowly disassociating themselves from the gang itself; and lack of official records (Youth Gang Programs and Strategies, 2000).

Consequently, Carlie (2002) stated that the imprisonment or elimination of certain gang members as part of the nation’s or state’s suppression programs is considered by many to be quite extreme. However, if educational and other forms of deterrent/suppression therapy fail; it is vital to understand that the nation or state has the prerogative to keep the society safe. Hence, a more severe resolution is needed to imply that violent criminal actions cannot be tolerated.