Transportation Tips: Transit Advocacy and Combating Gang Violence

View California Gang Territories in a larger map

A Better Inland Empire needs to make this point once more. Supporting policies that keep our youth and children out of the criminal world, drug abuse, and gangs is vital for a first rate and robust transportation system. We've called for officials to put out public messages to discourage parents, especially fathers, from abandoning their children so our future leaders will not be at risk or inclined to enter into the gang or drug cultures when they grow up. Earlier this summer, during a field study, we ran into an 18 year old young adult living on the streets who was improperly raised, dropped out of high school and was at grave risk of entering into this dangerous culture since he had appeared to have nowhere else to go. It has a heartbreaking experience as this man had the will to work and be in the American marketplace. Thankfully, we found out later that his grandparents took him in and plans are he will acquire a GED, become a high school graduate and move forward in becoming a productive laborer.

Child discipline and good parenting cannot be legislated, but can be encouraged through the public message system which includes public speeches from elected officials. The evidence between good parenting by having a father in the house and combating crime is overwhelming with near universal agreement according to those who work in this field. This all applies to children and families of all races.

Children must be raised properly so that they will have the motivation necessary to work and compete in the marketplace and not join gangs. Our work to improve the Inland Empire's mass transportation systems will mean nothing if the cities they serve are mired in disgraceful crime. What good will our transit systems be if they are not filled with a productive and robust labor workforce which helps pay for the system? Who would want to ride a public transit bus or drive through a gang-filled neighborhood? The connection between the proper raising of children and transit advocacy is vital.

We encourage you to take a look at this map put together by a Google Maps user by the name of Kevin. This map illustrates where known gangs exist in the Inland Empire. Check out what programs are out there in your neighborhood to help stop these dangerous criminal groups and to prevent vulnerable youth at risk from joining them. Research is showing that careless parenting and undisciplined youths getting involved in the criminal culture are closely tied together, but there are ways to offset this. Many schools will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week during the course of this month, bringing an awareness of alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence abuse to attention. Get active in one of these programs, especially if you are in a position of raising children. They are our future to a Better Inland Empire.