How To Reduce Gang Violence

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In the City of Los Angeles, there are more than four hundred and fifty active gangs. Many of those gangs have existed for more than fifty years. When combined, the gangs have a membership of over forty-five thousand individuals. Growing up and living in Boyle Heights, gang problems like graffiti in the alleys and homicides have somewhat decreased but not disappeared. One of the reasons why gang activity has decreased where I live is because of police patrol. However, police patrol and painting over gang graffiti aren’t going to entirely solve gang problems. When others have turned their backs on former gang members, one man welcomed them with open arms: Father Gregory Boyle. In 2001, Father Boyle founded Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles. Homeboy

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