New Jersey congressional representatives are pushing new legislation to combat street gangs. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is introducing one bill in the Senate Tuesday, while Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.) introduced a version in the House of Representatives on Thursday. “From our cities to our suburbs and beyond, families, police, prosecutors are at war with gangs, and we need to give them full support from the federal level,” Menendez said. “This has become a pervasive problem in need of a comprehensive solution, and that’s what we want to help deliver.”
The legislation approaches gang problems from several angles.
It would fund billions of dollars in programs for at-risk youth over five years, including $5.5 billion in grants for state and federal programs and $500 million for a community service initiative. Another $360 million would help offenders transition out of prison. Full story in Star Ledger.
Wouldn’t it be a lot cheaper to round up all the illegals and send them back?
does that menendez really think that kids join gangs because they are bored?
DONT DUMP BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO AFTER SCHOOL(day care for grown kids) PROGRAMS, INSTEAD STIFFEN THE ALREADY ON THE BOOK LAWS, AND START HANDING OUT MORE JAIL TIME INSTEAD OF 2nd & 3RD CHANCES TO THESE ANIMALS! “ENRICHMENT” PROGRAMS WONT HELP WHEN THESE KIDS GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY AND BACK INTO THE GHETTO’S AND SLUMS, AND BACK INTO THE HANDS OF PARENTS
But I agree with Mr. Grumpy Conservative. These after-school programs have been tried in the 80s-90s with no success. NYC had midnight basketball for example. These ideas are just feel-good liberal nonsense. I’m not saying that out of 100 kids it might save one or two but otherwise it’s a big waste of money. Use that same money to pump up law enforcement to target the gangs and deport the illegal ones and jail the legals.
#3- I LOVE YOU TOO lol
“These after-school programs have been tried in the 80s-90s with no success. These ideas are just feel-good liberal nonsense.”
– WELL SAID.
Mr. C is so right on this one! (And he’s not grumpy-just a realist…)
The problem with just prosecuting is that stupid kids who land up in jail become hardened criminals. We really need to be the third state inthe nation to take deportation seriously. First AZ then VA. NJ should be next. Spend your billions in getting the lowlife scum out of our neiborhoods.
LPD aren’t tough enough. The legal system isn’t tough enough. That’s why these animal do what they want and get away with it.
These kids join gangs because of bad family life or because the parents are not around. They do bad in school and feel hopeless, unloved and sometimes week. The gangs give them a sense of family and belonging also they feel strong invincible. If they were giving a sense of purpose or some hope that their is a chance for a good future and better roll models then they may have a chance. If we through them in jail they just get in a bigger gang, and then do worse crimes because they feel like tougher thugs! And besides it costs a bundle of money to keep them in jail. I am not a liberal but I do feel for these kids that are born into a hopeless situation parents that are proud of their little blood drop (that is a baby that is born into a blood gang). Some kids just need hope and shown a better way of life so they are not a burden to use the tax payers!
this is how the democrats fight crime throw money at it! never any ideas, money is magic right? liberalism is mental disorder
your in the Army now, pack up, ship out and serve your time. They can straighten them up.
#10 I wish it were like that, gangs are joining the army not to get straighted out but to learn how to use weapons. In LA a gang member killed 3 cops while using the training he received in the military it was not till a cop that was also in the military used his training to take him out. It is so sad but the military also has a really big gang problem.