Atlanta Fights Gang Problems
Written by Mack Hayden   
Monday, 08 February 2010 20:55
After a series of rash burglaries and the arrest of a lot of its teenage members, an emergency community meeting was called in the Southwest Atlanta. CBS Atlanta news wanted the answers for the questions like what are the higher authorities doing to fight these problems cropping up in Atlanta and keeping the place safe.

The city Council member Joyce Sheperd called the community meeting to get to the bottom of the problem of these organized and well structured gangs and the main concern is that most of their gang members are teenagers.

An Atlanta police officer dealing with these gangs said that burglaries are an easies way for these gang members to make money as compared to selling narcotics on the streets. Last week, there was another break in at the famous clothing store, Focus and the same members of the gang calling themselves 30 Deep had hit the E-S shop food mart, Atlanta Police reported. After these Burglaries the Atlanta police arrested 5 teenagers and 4 adults. 1 other juvenile surrendered himself later.

The questions were raised at the community meeting and people asked the Atlanta officials that what they are doing about the juveniles' involvement in all these cases. Eyebrows were also raised at juvenile courts that they are not strict enough. So when these kids are caught they are back on the streets in no time. The courts should be strict in the punishments that the teenagers are taught a lesson in the first arrest only.

CBS Atlanta's Jennifer Mayerle asked the chief of the Juvenile Court if the laws are contributing to the Atlanta's crime problem in any ways, to which he replied that he agrees that the laws are not helpful at all in reducing the crime rate in Atlanta. Belinda Edwards said that earlier the Juveniles could be held for 90 days but after the laws changed they could only be kept in custody for only 30 days. Because of this the kids keep on repeating the crimes as there are no strict laws and they are not scared of the consequences of the present laws for juveniles.