Police, schools join hands to slow the spread of gang activity in Janesville
Podcast Episode
Kyle Geissler talks with Janesville Gazette reporter Frank Schultz about Janesville police and school officials working together on gang issues.
JANESVILLE — A spike in gang-related incidents in Janesville schools this year may be the result of good police work, not any expansion of gang activity.
Or maybe it’s a combination of both.
The Jan. 19 shooting in the Janesville YMCA parking lot, which involved gang members on one side of the confrontation, was a wake-up call for police.
That incident prompted the formation of a three-member unit that concentrates on gangs, said the department’s Sgt. Brian Donohoue.
Those officers have been attending gang seminars and compiling files on local gang members and “associates.”
They have been keeping fellow officers informed about gang issues, including the recent spate of gang graffiti.
They have visited families of younger gang members, hoping to track them into more positive activities.
The problem often is that the young feel like outsiders, Donohoue said.
“They just don’t belong,” he said. “They need some support, and they get that among the gang members, but that’s not the right kind of support,”
Police also have been teaching Janesville public school staff how to identify gang signs, graffiti and other indicators that a student may be involved with a gang.
School officials, in return, supply information that expands the police gang intelligence files.
The result of the information sharing with schools and the new police focus may well be the reason for the statistical spike, Donohue said.
So far, the Parker High School and Rock River Charter School staffs have received the training along with all the secondary principals, said Karen Schulte, who heads up the district’s school safety effort.
Calls to schools seeking comment were referred to Schulte.
Donohoue said police hope to expand their school effort when school resumes in September.
Schulte said the district does not track students by gang affiliation, but she’s confident no school has a severe gang problem.
But something is going on, to judge by police and news reports, Schulte said.
Gang members probably number between 100 and 200 in Janesville, most being males between 15 and 25, police told The Janesville Gazette earlier this year. Some are as young as 12.
Police reports on gang incidents in the schools are mostly about graffiti and fights.
Fights seem to arise from insults or perceived insults between rival gang members. Gang members apparently feel honor-bound to fight when confronted by certain hand signs or phrases.
Organized drug dealing does not appear to be in the picture, and none of the gang violence in schools reported through April 30 involved weapons.
Schulte noted that no gang has come to a school to start a fight with a rival gang, which she said would signal something more serious.
“If the police department came to me and said, ‘You have a gang issue at a particular school,’ then we would sit down and we would work on that together,” Schulte said.
“The police department is not saying that at all. … I take my cue on this particular subject from our Janesville Police Department, and I rely on them for direction,” Schulte said.
Police are trying to nip the surge in gang activity in the bud, Donohoue said.
“If we can identify these gang members and their associates, we want them to know we know who they are and we’re not going away and making it kind of uncomfortable for them,” Donohoue said.
And police are aggressively pursuing gang graffiti artists, or “taggers.” They even got Janesville Area CrimeStoppers to offer rewards for information leading to graffiti arrests.
Until now, the CrimeStoppers Quick 50 program, which offers students cash for crime tips, has focused on more serious crimes, such as weapons or drugs in school, Donohoue said.
But posters went up last month offering $50 for tips on graffiti, which has led to arrests, Donohoue said.
Police are also pushing to get graffiti removed or covered quickly. The crime itself may seem minor, but graffiti acts like a magnet for more of the same.
Gangs mark their territories with graffiti, Donohoue said, and rival gangs may counter one gang’s artwork with some of their own that disrespects the original.
Teachers are being told to be on the lookout for such art in students’ notebooks, because it’s common for gang taggers to practice.
Donohoue said they take great pride in their artwork: “Sometimes when we’ve made multiple arrests they’ve said, ‘No, that’s not mine. That’s too sloppy’ or ‘Yeah, that’s mine.’”
“It’s absolutely good art work,” Donohoue said. “It’s too bad they don’t use it for other things.”
GANG FACTS
Gang stereotypes don’t always hold up.
While some local gang members are Hispanic or black or of Asian heritage, many are white, Janesville police say.
Gang conflicts in local schools this year included people of different ethnicities fighting each other. But their conflicts for the most part seemed to be over their identities as members of gangs and not as members of one ethnic group or anther.
According to the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at University of Colorado:
-- Most gangs are home grown rather than initiated by outsiders, such as gang members who have moved from other cities.
-- Gangs tend to comprise young people, mainly male, with similar ethnic and racial backgrounds.
-- Ethnic conflict is often associated with the emergence of gangs in communities, but most gang conflict takes place between gangs of the same ethnicity rather than between gangs of different ethnicities.
-- Drug use and drug selling are common activities among many, but not all, gangs. The relationship between gangs and drug selling is extremely variable.
-- Graffiti is often important in establishing gang identity. It also often acts as a symbolic form of gang conflict.
-- Violence within a gang is more common than violence between gangs or violence directed outside the gang.
-- When youth (both males and females) are active in a gang, they have higher rates of violent and delinquent behavior than when they are not active in a gang.
-- Gang life is very violent compared to life for those who do not belong to gangs; however, considerable variability exists in levels of violence within and between gangs.
-- Gang members as individuals often have conventional values and concerns.
RECENT GANG INCIDENTS
Following are description of some recent incidents at or near Janesville middle or high schools that Janesville police believe were gang-related. Police have reported no gang incidents at Marshall Middle or Craig High schools through April 30 this year. The following does not include incidents reported in other parts of the city.
Franklin Middle School
-- Oct. 3, 2007—A 14-year-old girl in a program for emotionally disturbed students threatened her teacher, saying: “I will shoot you. That is not a threat. That’s a promise.” Similar words were found in the girl’s notebook, which contained numerous writings about gangs, drugs and sex. She was referred to juvenile authorities on a charge of disorderly conduct. She was taken to the county health care center for an evaluation and then to the Juvenile Detention Center.
-- Dec. 10, 2007—A 12-year-old student got into a fistfight with a 13-year-old student. The 12-year-old said he also had been punched by the 13-year-old and some other students the previous week in the boys locker room. The 12-year-old’s assignment notebook had numerous Latin King graffiti, but the boy denied being in a gang. He said the 13-year-old was a Gangster Disciple. The 12-year-old was referred to juvenile authorities on a charge of disorderly conduct/gang crime. The 13-year old admitted being a Gangster Disciple and said the other student was a Latin King and that the fight was over gang affiliation. He also was referred on a charge of disorderly conduct.
According to the officer’s report, the 13-year-old explained that the other boy had said “Kings forever,” a phrase that is considered a challenge that required him to fight.
-- Dec. 14, 2007—A fistfight on school grounds after school, involving a 13-year-old Gangster Disciple and a 14-year-old member of the Bloods. Both were referred to juvenile authorities on charges of disorderly conduct.
-- Dec. 21, 2007—A 13-year-old student was found with shotgun and .22-caliber ammunition and a white powdery substance in his backpack. He said another student has asked him for the ammo and that he did not intend to use it at school. He said the powder was crushed painkillers that he intended to sell but forgot about. He was referred to juvenile authorities on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a prescription drug. The other student had received two shotgun shells but found they didn’t fit his gun. Officials were concerned because the second student had been involved in the fight on Dec. 14.
-- March 14, 2008—A 16-year-old Parker High School student identified as a Latin King was accused of pushing and punching an 11-year-old student in front of school. The 16-year-old apparently accused the 11-year-old of harassing the 16-year-old’s younger brother. The 11-year-old’s mother said it was a case of mistaken identity. The younger boy was afraid of being attacked for being a “snitch,” but the mother contacted police. Both boys as well as the 16-year-old’s younger brother all were referred to juvenile authorities on charges of disorderly conduct.
-- April 3, 2008—Two girls, ages 12 and 13, wore the same coat at different times. The coat had Latin-King-related markings and colors. Police believe one of the girls has been dating a gang member. Gang-related clothing is not allowed in schools.
-- April 11, 2008—The 14-year-old from the Dec. 21, 2007, incident was spouting obscenities and pointing his finger at the school as if he was going to shoot at it, after he and others were told to leave the grounds after school. He was referred on a charge of disorderly conduct. School staff said the group of students was known to be affiliated with Latin Kings.
-- April 22, 2008—Two 15-year-old Parker students, believed to be associated with Latin Kings, were told to leave Franklin grounds shortly before 4 p.m. They wore gang colors and made gang hand signs. An officer told the boys they were no longer welcome at Franklin because of their gang affiliation.
Edison Middle School
-- Dec. 20, 2007—A 12-year-old student and a 13-year-old student scuffled in the lunchroom after insults were exchanged. The incident apparently started when a third student, a 13-year-old, insulted the Gangster Disciples’ colors. The third student apparently was a Bloods member. The third student previously had been disciplined by school authorities for stating and writing his gang affiliation. The 12-year-old and the third student were referred to juvenile authorities on disorderly conduct charges.
-- April 14 and 16, 2008—A 13-year-old student reportedly was pushed and punched by a seventh-grader believed to be a member of Latin Kings on two occasions after school. The victim said other students had videotaped the assaults with their cell phones.
In the first fight, the victim said two girls were supposed to be fighting after school, and some boys apparently were also going to fight, and the victim told the boys that he would try to stop them from hitting the girls. Apparently, this was taken as a threat by the boy who later assaulted the victim.
The case remains under investigation.
Parker High School
-- Feb. 26, 2007—Four or five students, ages 16 and 17, were expelled after a fight in a hallway. Teachers trying to break up the fight were largely ignored, and some received inadvertent blows from the fighters. The fight lasted less than one minute. The conflict started earlier in the day when one student said another was “mean-mugging,” or staring angrily, at him. The two students appear to have gang affiliations, one with Latin Kings and one with the Bloods, but police initially were uncertain if the incident was gang-related.
-- March 14, 2008—Gang graffiti found on sidewalk known as “the path,” which leads from Parker to Waveland Road. This apparently was part of a rash of Latin King graffiti incidents in that part of the city.
May 22, 2008 at 7:49 a.m.
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mytake4you, I wasn't bragging, I'm not an ex/con. I don't claim to know everything, but I know more than you. especially about these fake gang bangers. your just as dumb as all the other idiots on here.
May 21, 2008 at 11:13 p.m.
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hollynpat...you said that you have been in jail. way to brag about it. most convicts just keep running their mouths about things they know nothing about. you keep saying you know about gangs. you know NOTHING about them. you make yourself look sooooo foolish. don't bother answering my post. i won't come back to read it.....lol
May 20, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.
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haha, i agree seabee!!!
May 20, 2008 at 2:20 p.m.
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Actually, the Latin Kings chapters in Janesville and Beloit are affiliated with the Latin Kings chapter in Chicago, and other chapters all over the Midwest. It wasn't just "started in Janesville by someone watching TV." Disturbingly, the roots go much deeper.
May 20, 2008 at 12:44 p.m.
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This is a great example of why we need to bring back tarring and feathering.
May 20, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.
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To all that feel that these are just wanna be gang bangers ,my advice to you is WAKE UP !!I have not been on here for awhile because I voiced my opinion about this and was threaten.What you are reading IS NOT all of the truth about how bad this is.They say that Janesville has 150 -200 known gang members in town,Officer Blazer of JPD told me we have 40-60 at one HS. Who do you think is grooming these young kids ? I'll give you a clue ! Wait to read the story on the 10 drug dealers.
May 20, 2008 at 8:19 a.m.
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pat..I am assuming here that you have lived in more dangerous comminities than Janesville. "assuming". If this is so, then you have to remember that the majority of us have NOT. So, we have every right to be alarmed, scared, concerned and bothered by the "taggers", "wannabes" and "punks". In every community, Chicago, Milwaukee, LA or Miami, the gang activity started out small in the beginning (early 1900's). And before people knew it, their whole lives were being run by bangers. That is what this community wants to prevent. And with the alarms going off now, hopefully we have a chance to say NOT IN OUR CITY. So, yes, you may be right, at this point in their lives they are not TRUE bangers, but eventually most will be. I don't believe that a criminal mind just outgrows the behavoir without extensive help. The lifestyle hooks them in, and from experience of a brother being caught up in the junk, it isn't all that easy to conform to society afterwards. The desire to steal for what you need rather than work for it is always there.
May 20, 2008 at 8:18 a.m.
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Oh yeah, I forgot your the tough guy ex-con. Are you bulletproof too? Your wife? Your kids? Do they go to stores? Malls? SCHOOLS? None of them will be 100% safe. Will you be their to protect them all the time?
May 20, 2008 at 8:13 a.m.
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well they definatly don't want to be out in front of my house.
May 20, 2008 at 8 a.m.
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Ignore it Pat, and when its happening in front of your house maybe you will wake up. It only takes one who didn't "grow out of it" and has better aim to kill someone, maybe someone you know.
May 20, 2008 at 7:51 a.m.
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I don't see it that way. usually by the time they get to 17, 18 years old they grow out of it. a real gang banger would have put a bullet in that guys head not his knee.
May 20, 2008 at 7:43 a.m.
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Correction....."It is who they aspire to be at 16,17,18".....
May 20, 2008 at 7:42 a.m.
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Those two 16 year olds who shot the guy at the Y were probably 12 year old wannabees at one time as well. It is not who they are at 12, it was they aspire to be ar 16, 17 or 18. If we don't stop it now we will have a problem Pat. If you want your kids safe in the future then this isn't a joke now but something we all need to deal with.
May 20, 2008 at 7:37 a.m.
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you people are blind. the cops are trying to take credit just like they did at screamin meemies. they haven't done anything to slow down the wannabees in this town. saying these 12 year olds are gang bangers is as bad as them saying lap dancers are hookers. read between the lines.
May 20, 2008 at 7:31 a.m.
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I agree with you. I was getting slammed by everyone on here thats where the idiot thing came from. I don't think them third graders were affiliated with a gang. the shootings in Colorado a few years back had nothing to do with gang banging. I worry about my kids to in that situation. I just think the gangs in Janesville are a joke, but that makes me public enemy #1. I wasn't dissing anyone on this sight, people started with me because I have an opinion that these idiots don't agree with. Janesville is a safe city and it will continue to be a safe city. I'm sorry I just don't feel threatend by these little kids.
May 20, 2008 at 6:37 a.m.
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Well Pat, I take offense to being called clueless AND an idiot! You can turn on the news many times a week and hear about children (even younger than these "12 year old taggers" you speak of) taking weapons to school, killing classmates at school. Hey how about those third graders who took the handcuffs, tape, and rope to school to hurt their teacher! Everyone is allowed their opinion but I think it's ridiculous to call those of us who choose to be concerned about a 13 yr old with a gun and ammo, at his school, clueless or idiots. I, for one, do not want my children or anyone else's children harmed by these "taggers". Wish it were that simple!
May 19, 2008 at 10:04 p.m.
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you people want to criticize me because I'm not afraid of the wannabee gang bangers in this town. you people are clueless!!!! I don't claim to have inside information like you claim. I just don't see it as a real threat. keep the blog about the house fire out of this. this is here for the free people of this country to state an opinion and I am doing that. get a clue you idiots. just watch your back for these 12 year old taggers. hahahaha. and I am a father not a mother.,
May 19, 2008 at 9:30 p.m.
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Gee, I remember a blog just last week where everyone said only Beloit had gangs and such. How things change.
May 19, 2008 at 9:09 p.m.
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I wish the bitterness of the HOLLYNPAT's of the world was geared towards more productive influences. With your knowledge of the inside, you could be of so much help to the waywards of this town, but you don't realize that, you choose to be an enemy still. Why don't you look into something that would put your experiences to use, and to realize you have went through them for a reason??
May 19, 2008 at 9:06 p.m.
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No offense, HOLLYNPAT but you sound as if you are a wannabe civilian. No matter how hard you try, you will never fit in....with the attitude you portray. You are a real bitter person...sure hope you don't have children. You are the type that creates an it's not my fault type of child who continues the cycle of anger. I bet your stint in the clink wasn't your fault either...someone else did you wrong I am sure.
May 19, 2008 at 8:49 p.m.
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Some of you say...."I'm not scared of a 12 year old". Well, set your ego's and saving face attitudes aside, and remember, anyone with a gun no matter the age, is something to be feared...especially one who has no experience using one. Yes, wannabe might be an accurate description of these young people, but, how does that make them any less dangerous? The numbers are just not there, yet. And I just DON'T understand why there is so much energy wasted saying they should be dropped off here or there so they can see what a real gangsta land is all about. Yes, you are right, they would be scared to death probably, but they are not there, they are here, and they are OUR PROBLEM. We need to deal with it as it is. And saying they are wannabes doesn't make them less real...cheeks need to be turned the opposite way, and take responsiblity for our comminity, and hammer down on these kids....no matter how wannabe they are.
May 19, 2008 at 8:42 p.m.
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Momof5.....TOO FUNNY you go girl
May 19, 2008 at 8:22 p.m.
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hollynpat: I just went through all 7 pages of your posts. You don't have all the answers as diamondback remarked. You are absolutely clueless. I think I'm just that much more stupid for having read (or having tried to read) all 7 pages of your jibberish. If you were right here infront of me, I'd boink you on the head and say "You shoulda had a V8" just for the fun of it!
May 19, 2008 at 7:41 p.m.
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marymac, I hope if you have kids that you aren't helping them with writing skills.
May 19, 2008 at 6:59 p.m.
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hollynpat-You sure have all the answers !!!You said that you are 30 years old ...does that mean that you have teenagers ?? You made some terrible comments on the 4 year old that started the fire,and just ripped that father apart .If you have kids make sure that you give them lots of hugs,kisses and thata boy/girl on a daily bases then your kids will NEVER act like other kids .Then just maybe we can all give you the MOTHER of THE YEAR AWARD !!! Remember we are just humans trying to do the best that we can.
May 19, 2008 at 6:54 p.m.
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I do not have a problem with white suburbia. I have a problem with the way white suburbia has become. You think I like the hood? I think not. It's an MTV world to these kids, they see the larger than life rap star gangta and they wanna be like that. gang bangers? no. followers? yes. and as for you being a prison guard and calling me out your dumber than the cops. these kids are like you. thier wannabee gang bangers and your a wannabee COP.
May 19, 2008 at 6:51 p.m.
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NVgrf: that is the exact comment I wanted to make. How come no incidents were included in the article from Marshall Middle School or Craig High School? Are there none to report or was it convenient to just report the incidents from the "West" Side Schools? Instead of a bridge to sell, how about some ocean front property in Arizona!!
May 19, 2008 at 6:44 p.m.
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hollynpat...you seem to have a problem with white suburban towns. calling them stupid. i would much rather live in that type of community than the hood. i was a correctional officer in a prison for a few years. there were SOME bad cons, but most were just mouthy punks who knew little but talked much.
May 19, 2008 at 6:29 p.m.
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Remember, these are reported incidents. As a result, if you believe there are no gang involvements at Craig High School, i've got a bridge to sell you.
May 19, 2008 at 6:19 p.m.
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my kids get enough love at home they dont have to turn to a gang.
May 19, 2008 at 6:17 p.m.
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MAYBE some of you should be more educated in finding answers rather then warehousing or putting them in CHI town Get real turning your back on the truth dont change it I HOPE IF YOUR KIDS if you have any HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO HELP THEM RATHER THEN YOU IF THEY END UP THINKING ABOUT GANGS AS AN OPTION
May 19, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.
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the real ones aren't in school. go down to the 4th. ward you'll see a few real ones on street corners selling dope. there not organized in Janesville. kids rebelling on thier parents and cops trying to look good saying theres a gang problem and it's being taken care of. go catch the 12 year old geek spray painting a stop sign. hahaha.
May 19, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.
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Yes, usually wannabe would fit someone who is 12-16 yrs old. Unfortunately, these "kids" are trying extremely hard, to be adults. The thought of a 13 yr old bringing a gun to school is overly frightening. I completely agree with the posts about the severity of these actions. All of this violence is on television and in movies...what are we to expect?
May 19, 2008 at 6:10 p.m.
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I see comments such as humiliation in front of the school assembly, kick them out of school and then the police and neighbors lean on the family and the punk gangster so hard they will leave town. do not give them one ounce of slack. any youth proved as a member or running with a gang should be followed up with the family taken off any and all welfare programs. Well this is not an option as most of the young gang members are in that way and maybe the VILLAGE it takes to raise a child needs to be just that. Some of these kids just want to be accepted somewhere and anything will do. Wake up this has been an issue since 1992 at least and the denial that the city had now is ten fold. There are programs that work!!!! Madison has a police and community program that is awesome. Give some of these young kids involved a reason to change and maybe they will. And parents dont always know as to the involvement and shouldnt get the blame and I speak from experience as I raised 4 boys and had suspicions and when I shared with the JPD and others I was told there isnt a problem... I now ask my sons why they did it they said to belong and be part of something. Alot of kids dont have the 2 parent household and lack positive role models that can show them the right things. I did my best and I still made mistakes.
May 19, 2008 at 6:05 p.m.
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I agree, lets show these little kids what real gang life is like.A 16 year old beating up a 11 year old is not showing how "bad" you are. I agree the "wannabes" are almost more dangerous because the are trying so hard to pose as real gang members. As a city we should find true gang members who have spent some hard time in prision for murder or something and as a community service let them scare the crap out of these kids face to face with stories of true gang life! Sorry there are no true gangs in our middle schools, high school maybe. Not saying there are not violent gang members in Janesville but they are not 13. Come on, the one kid had a shotgun and .22 ammo, they cant even load there guns right.
May 19, 2008 at 6:04 p.m.
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sorry, but 12 and 14 year old kids don't really pose that much of a threat. I'm 30 years old, this stuff was just starting up when I was in 8th. grade. they were fake then and they're just as fake now. and since when are Bloods in Janesville? the cops are stupid for even wasting thier time on these wannabees. lets focus on the real criminals in this white suburbia low crime rate fake gangsters town.
May 19, 2008 at 5:42 p.m.
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The term "wannabee" should not be taken as lightly as some on here are imlplying. The "wannabee's" have the potential to be more dangerous just due to the fact they are trying to emulate what they think a "real" gangster is. So by seeing robberies, drugs, and shootings the juveniles will copy these behaviors and try to be considered a "gangster". These problems should be taken seriously and shy away from using the word "wannabee".
May 19, 2008 at 5:14 p.m.
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I agree. drop them off on the south side of Chicago or an alley on the north side of Milwaukee. they would get robbed, beat up and shown what a real gang banger is. these are just a bunch of dorks watching MTV and seeing a couple rap videos and thinks it's cool that they're acting like gang bangers and half the rappers aren't even gang bangers it's way of making money, most of the rappers have been through college and all that good stuff. WHITE SUBURBAN AMERICA is stupid.
May 19, 2008 at 4:22 p.m.
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i think they should round up these punk wannabes and take them down to chicago, right into the hood, and drop them off and let them fend for themselves for a little bit. Then well see how "real" they are. theyd pee their pants before the vehicle that took them there even drove away.
May 19, 2008 at 4:06 p.m.
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real scary, 12 year old white kids. I've been in jail and been around enough gang members to know white people are not gangster deciples, that is a black gang from Chicago. this is a joke., the so called gangs are jokes and the police department is a joke. I'm sorry, but some stupid kids tagging there gay gang stuff is not scary. we call them wannabees. thats all they are. and you people are stupid for believing it. WANNABEES. FALSE FLAGGERS. HAHAHA. WHAT A JOKE.
May 19, 2008 at 2:58 p.m.
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irresponsible parents are the first to be blamed and held accountable. perhaps because, like it or not, the PARENTS are responsible for their child's actions until age 18. The parents who do not impose a reasonable amount of care/concern/responsibility for the children THEY decided to bring in to this world are costing us taxpayers billions of dollars! Why aren't people more angry about this? The kids who do what they want, grow up to do what they want and land in jails and prisons and we get to pay for it. This is not a "joke" anymore and the responsible people in the state should not be forced to clean up after the irresponsibility of parents who are raising irresponsible kids!
Absent fathers (and mothers) cannot provide a role model for their tweens and teens. I think if a kid gets into trouble, the parent needs to be held just as responsible for the crime as the teenager. That may make the parents become a little more concerned about where their kids are and who they are hanging out with. These children are not hardened criminals, but they are walking around downtown with guns (the shooting in the YMCA parking lot). They WILL be hardened criminals if not stopped and they will end up killing people if something isn't done. I'm all for what the schools and police department are doing. A kid just wants to fit in somewhere and feel like they belong. Unfortunately, kids are turning to gangs rather than wholesome groups.
May 19, 2008 at 2:45 p.m.
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But with the fact that us "civilians" don't matter at all in the court's decision's, we need to unite as I pleaded before. What else can we do?? THis is real, and all of the should ofs could ofs won't help....
May 19, 2008 at 2:43 p.m.
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tjncj!!!! You are so on to something. I as well suggested this type of punishment in another post about kids' behavoir problems when the shooting at the Y happened. Seriously, there should be a manditory boot camp as punishment. I have always told my oldest who is 16 now, that if he ever messes up, he will be sent somewhere that will show him how to be a responsible young man if he doesn't want to learn that from us. It has worked with him....so far.
May 19, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.
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Maybe instead of Charter schools we should open some military type camps to educate and teach these kids responsibility, respect and self discipline. Get caught tagging or gang fighting you are now enrolled and any cost over and above the $10k public school costs is at the expense of your parents. It would be a lot cheaper and more effective than sending them to Ethan Allen etc.
May 19, 2008 at 2:19 p.m.
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P.s. I apparently cannot spell the word IDIOT. lol wow
May 19, 2008 at 2:16 p.m.
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You are right, Janesville is just another city and gangs are obviously a problem. It's just that some of these kids are 12 years old. They are little kids. Not hardened criminals. They need to be put in their place and we need to make sure that they realized that this behavior WILL NOT be tolerated. I feel that if we as a community and a nation cannot discipline and control (for lack of a better word) 12 year olds, than what is this world coming to? I find it just like babysitting. I mean, obviously kids always think they are old enough to not need a babysitter, and they don’t think it’s “cool” to have one either, but they are little and need someone to watch over them. It’s basically the same thing. These kids need babysitters, obviously. I don’t know who or how, but it seems like the answer to me, in one way or the other.
May 19, 2008 at 2:01 p.m.
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chemical....you seem a very caring and thoughtful person. you are pretty much spot on. where we differ is that i think (my opinion only) we have tried and failed at the "soft shoe" approach. these kids laugh at that approach. they wear probation as a badge of coolness. they fear being put down in front of other kids. humiliation, if you will. it's time to take a VERY tough stand. they only fear fear! and in confrontations with older, stronger, and smarter people who physically intimidate them do we see them cower and run. when enough good citizens join in that approach, along with continued demanding of school uniforms and student assembly corporal punishment will we ever see a significant improvement. pardon my spelling. thanks
May 19, 2008 at 1:57 p.m.
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chemical_6, you are right. One of the most common factors in gang affiliation is having an absent parent, especially the father, for one reason or another. Obviously there is a need for parental action but many times by the point that a kid is seriously involved in a gang they feel powerless. There is also a vicious circle where if one gang starts pushing other kids around, they "gang up" themselves simply to feel protected.
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In the end gangs are a social affliction in every urban society, so the idea that Janesville is one place they can be "stopped" is not realistic.
May 19, 2008 at 1:55 p.m.
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Also, TRUTH, the people that watch those sports, don't determine athletes paychecks. Those "idoots" pay the money to see the game, and a portion of that, along with taxes we pay for things like parking and stadiums, pays those athletes paychecks. I don't find it fair to call fans, who abide by the law and give people (including troubled kids) idols to look up to and inspire to, idoits. That, and your statement is "way out of left field"...
May 19, 2008 at 1:45 p.m.
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I realize that the violence is real, but I also realize that half of these kids THINK they are tough and are really just lost. They need guidence and proper care and help to be driven in the right direction. Unfortunately, they may not get the proper attention they need and that could result in more dangerous behavior. But either way, if I could change one thing about this situation, it would be to give the kids something positive in thier lives and help them get back on the right track. I still believe that most of these kids are just scared, they don't know what they are getting themselves into, and even if they think they are all grown up and can take care of themselves, they need to be taken under the wing of someone that knows what they are going thru and can help lead them in the right direction.
May 19, 2008 at 1:40 p.m.
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The "idiots" are the ones that are obsessed with worshipping those that are paid millions of $ to drive cars in circles or hit/run with, a ball.
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We have an epidemic of idiots with no interest in solving gang problems or anything else that matters.
May 19, 2008 at 1 p.m.
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CHEMICAL...you have valid points, but the violence is real whether they have killed "YET" or not. All things grow from something small!
May 19, 2008 at 12:52 p.m.
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MYTAKE>> I totally agree with you!! I am scared because I have a newborn an elementary student and a high schooler...ALL BOYS!! I want this to go away...but I feel so helpless! We choose to live in the sticks for this reason, but they are inching in on our serene life, yes I am SCARED!!
May 19, 2008 at 12:50 p.m.
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These kids are idiots. I mean 12 years old? Where the heck are the parents? I would be damned if my child was doing any of this crap at 12 years old, whether I had to sit with him/her at school to make sure of it. That would make the child REALLY happy. This is ridiculous that we as a community are allowing these twerps to run around like they are responsible for themselves. Every one of these children needs help and taking the initiative like the Janesville schools and police are doing is great. At least we are starting to take a stand against gangs and get this city and its children back on track. I am just still shocked at how young some of these kids are, and these gangs are absolutely stupid. I mean Latin Kings? GD’s? and Bloods? C’mon, it’s like somebody just watched a T.V. show about gangs and decided that they should start one in Janesville. Get a life. The people in these gangs in LA and Atlanta and Chicago are hardened criminals that had to Kill an innocent person just to be in the gang. I guarantee you that these 12 and 13 year olds haven’t killed anyone and if they had to they would probably start crying when they realized they were standing in front of someone with a gun to their head. Some of these kids don’t even know what they could be getting themselves into.
May 19, 2008 at 12:44 p.m.
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mentoring???.........are you serious? we have been mentoring, pandering to, wasting billions of dollars in public education, billions of dollars on welfare programs and none of this has worked. if anything, it's gotten much worse. quit doing the things that DON'T work. try something new; school uniforms, humiliation in front of the school assembly, kick them out of school and then the police and neighbors lean on the family and the punk gangster so hard they will leave town. do not give them one ounce of slack. any youth proved as a member or running with a gang should be followed up with the family taken off any and all welfare programs. it's time for justice to be served not time for more pandering. don't you understand? they make fun of people who want to help them. they consider you weak and will prey on you when given the chance. the gangs would cause a stir? are you scared of those little punks? i'm not, and anytime i see them acting tough i usually slap them up side their head and make them cry. if more people stood up to them they would go away or be eliminated from our society.
May 19, 2008 at 12:44 p.m.
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S C A R Y!! Just imagine the growth of these gangs when more and more jobs are lost! It is time for the community to unite and help the schools, police and neighbors stop the violence. Kinda like "The dogooders" gang....we've GOT TO DO SOMETHING or another part of our freedom will be taken away.
May 19, 2008 at 12:03 p.m.
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Once again it's obvious that parents are no longer considered responsible for their children, or there would have been mention of it. The State is responsible for kids today, which is exactly how they want it. Hopefully people will start understanding this before it's too late. Unfortunately, it's too much for a lot of people to deal with, so they go buy something cool to play with instead.
May 19, 2008 at 10:59 a.m.
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dqandhallie: Would you stop or end something if someone told you to? They are approaching it the correct way by working with them. If they went "gun-ho" the gangs would really cause a stir. I think this is wonderful that they are working with the students in hopes of stirring them in the right direction. Everyone needs a mentor to help them get on the right track.
May 19, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.
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What would be wrong with using the words stop or end the gang activity instead they use the words like slow the growth? when are the schools and police going to get on this issue and do something instead of just talking about it.
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