What is your solution to the gang violence of late?

[Conquiztador]

Every meadia you recently visit has big headlines re current violence from mainly gangs in NZ. As long as they keep to them selves we tend to allow them to co-exist. But when they bring their lifestyle in to our living rooms we start making noises.

But there is nothing new re this. It is an ongoing cycle. The ones of us who have resided in NZ for some years have all seen and heard it before. At times I even wonder if the media drums it up to make more $$'s. But even if that was the case, there has in the last weeks been a increase in what can be described as random gang violence. Sadly HB has had a bit too much of it. Now we are seeing the self-promotors jumping on the bandwagon sniffing easy publicity. They are drumming the same old beat: Police crackdowns, banning, longer sentences, guns for police, more power for police etc.

But is that really the answer?

One thing that has always been my view is, that it is not the gangs but the individuals in the gangs that are to blame. The gangs gives them somewhere to hang out, but just because we stop gangs the rotten individuals will still be around. And if they are not marked with gang colours they will be so much harder to distinguish. I would even go as far as to say that by allowing them to hang out with other gang members keeps them away from the mainstream.

But that is just my view, and even if I have some knowledge here I am still to be convinced that I am fully right.

So what is the answer here? Or is there none? Gang issues is not something that is isolated to NZ. It is a world wide problem. I would consider the NZ gang problems to be minor compared to many other countries. That does not mean we should accept it.

If we discard the "shoot them all, send them to a isolated island" view that is nothing but a result of anger and will not happen, do we have something more constructive to provide as a solution? I actually believe some of the gang spokesmen who are saying that they are trying to change their gangs to provide a future for their children. (Then again I always believe that everyone has something good inside them)

Brainstorming time. What do you have to offer that would help here?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

nuke em... oh wait that would break our anti nuke policy ummmm nuke em

[rat biker 08]

Put them all on kapati island let them shoot it out then shoot the last one
It mite wake them up

[mowgli]

nuke em... oh wait that would break our anti nuke policy ummmm nuke em

The nuke policy only prevents nuclear armed/powered warships from visiting NZ. The policy says nothing about nukes arriving via other means...... nuke em

[Conquiztador]

Ok, a few more of these posts that has nothing constructive to offer and we should get this started...

[Trudes]

OK I'll help move things along then: napalm.

[Motu]

I actually believe some of the gang spokesmen who are saying that they are trying to change their gangs to provide a future for their children. (Then again I always believe that everyone has something good inside them)

The older gang members,those who have been in from the beginning are the ones saying they are changing their ways....they have seen the past and can see the future.The gangs need to be led from within,these are the guys who can lead the change.

[Rockbuddy]

OK I'll help move things along then: napalm.

I dont think the gonernment will fork out the carbon credits for napalm.......nuke em

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Ok, a few more of these posts that has nothing constructive to offer and we should get this started...

In all honestly...

There will always be gangs, even if you pass law to say no gangs... There is no single answer...

You have to catch them when they are young, so it starts with the family, school, and so forth... some of the young ones need that discipline... now with the anti smacking law they don't get it... (though I agree that there is a limit and understand what the law is trying to stop.)

Then you need more and possible better youth programmes. Then employment for the older... as well as alot tougher laws on gangs and volient crimes, and maybe a little more freedom for the police on gangs.

heck even bring in conscription to the armed forces... army are short on man power????

but even then this is only tip of the iceburg and I haven't really thought about...

The older gang members,those who have been in from the beginning are the ones saying they are changing their ways....they have seen the past and can see the future.The gangs need to be led from within,these are the guys who can lead the change.

yep... the younger ones need to be led, to change there ways

[firefighter]

well personally I think gangs are nothing but an excuse for all the bad eggs to cause shit and have pissing contests.....and the few bad eggs you speak of, well if they wanna fu*ck with you it gives them a safety net which means it's nearly impossible for you to do anything about it......ie, they wanna fight you/steal from you, whatever you retaliate and bad things will happen......

I seriously think that the defence force should get invovled, get all defence and police staff who want to volunteer to go out in squads and tactically takeout all gang affiliates/members, in one big overnight operation.....then try and flush the rest out over as short a time as possible, there will still be crime but with the drugs the gangs bring in being minimised it will help stop a lot of it. (serious suggestion, it's just standing up to a bully, that's basically what gangs are, except in one big group, at the moment theyr'e dictating how things are) and now the police are close to being armed.......well that's because they need protection from these violent gangs which harbour the "bad eggs"

basically your putting down the dog that bites.........why should we have to keep putting up with the shit?

[nallac]

this'll do.....

[AllanB]

If the gangs are prepared to bring their shit to public areas and cause havoc, I propose we send the army to their place for target practise.

Or if that's a bit harsh for the tree-huggers send Sue Bradford around to give them all hugs.

[mowgli]

Ok, a few more of these posts that has nothing constructive to offer and we should get this started...

Okay. Perhaps not constructive but here's another angle worth considering.

There's a criminal element in every society. Call it the darker side of the human condition if you like. To deal with this, society has evolved to include Police. Police have the thankless job of dealing with the criminal elements and making life safer for the rest of society. That feeling of safety breeds complacency and leads to a general under-resourcing of Police. In light of that under-resourcing, the existence of gangs actually makes policing easier. Instead of dealing with a mish mash crime committed by unknown individuals the Police get to deal with a semi-organised gang of criminals with a common set of values (albeit at odds with the rest of us). Organisation equals predictability equals simpler policing. Without the gangs and without additional Police resources there would be anarchy. That is until a new set of gangs rise up to take the place of those that were crushed.

So there you have it. Not constructive but food for thought.

[Headbanger]

Give the power back to the community.

Parents, Smack those kids. Teach em wrong from right.

Schools, Find that cane, Use it on the trouble makers, teach kids responsibility.

Cops, Kick there arses, box their ears, Humiliate em.

Justice system, PUNISH PEOPLE,EVEN KIDS, Work camps in our national parks will do it.

The Community, Stand up and be counted, The power is the people, Its just a matter of wielding it. Hell, when shit goes down with hearing distance of my house, even if just the rattle of a spray can, I go out and see what's going on, Met a few people that way, surprised a few people that way. If everyone done so then taggers would be out of business.

That aside, I reckon we have 2 generations of wasted useless pieces of shit in our society, That can't be saved from themselves, write them off, Drop all the PC bullshit and pathetic cultural sensitive moronic weak shit and concentrate on the next lot of kids through the block.

Gangs aren't the problem, Criminals are, and we already have laws against crime, The system just tolerates them, in many cases encourages them, and we as a community accept it.

[jimbo600]

The only way to sort them is to police them out of existence. Constant hounding and pressure backed up with forfeiture of unaccountable assets.