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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Ending gang life, from those who live it

University profs get insights from active members

By: Carol Sanders

11/09/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 14

Poverty, systemic racism perpetuate street gang life.

Enlarge Image Enlarge Image icon

Poverty, systemic racism perpetuate street gang life. (JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

With gunplay and gang violence tearing up chunks of the North End, academics looking for solutions went straight to the source this summer.

In August, a group of university professors interviewed six gang members, who said the shootings and beatings won't stop until children have better options than joining gangs.

"These guys more or less accept that if they do the crime, they do the time," said Jim Silver, a politics professor with the University of Winnipeg. He and the University of Manitoba's Elizabeth Comack and Lawrence Deane and Larry Morrissette, director of Ogijita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin (OPK), spent two days with street gang members as part of an ongoing research project.

"They weren't making excuses," said Silver, whose team produced a 14-page report, the findings of which they discussed Thursday night with Justice Minister Dave Chomiak. (See their op/ed piece on Page A13 today).

"What they did say was 'putting us in jail won't solve the problem.' There are no short-term solutions to the problem."

Poverty, bad parenting and a lack of jobs for people who look and sound like street gang members are keeping them going, the gang members said.

"Go to the North End at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. tonight," one suggested.

"You'll see eight- and 10-year-olds running around unsupervised," one told the researchers. "That's the next me... Those are the ones you have to help to slow the violence."

Police crackdowns won't stop it, they said. "You have to change the 'hood," one gang member said.

"To do that, you've got to deal with the root causes of poverty and systemic racism," the breeding grounds for street gangs, Silver said.

In the North End, street gang activity isn't bringing in big money, just danger, Silver said.

"One of the striking things, for me, was that these guys are not getting rich." Three of the six street gang members they interviewed were in the upper gang echelons, said Silver.

"These guys carry a wad of bills in their pocket and (have) conspicuous consumption but they don't have any assets," he said.

"The money is not staying in the North End. It's going into the suburbs to organized crime," said Silver.

"In a street gang, the risk is high and returns are very low." Lately, the risks are getting even higher with more guns on the street, he said.

An honest day's work is appealing to many, but people with gang associations often sound and look too rough for most employers, and they don't have any work experience they can put on a resumé. "They feel as if they're locked in, with no way out. If mainstream options were open, they would be seizing them," he said.

What's needed are some "carefully-tailored opportunities."

But they're a tough sell, thanks in part to an early street gang program that failed miserably.

"Paa Pii Wak has muddied the waters," said Silver. The government-funded halfway house for men trying to leave street gangs was actually a gang-controlled hangout rife with drinking, partying and corruption, according to police.

"I think people are quite right to feel nervous," said Silver. "Paa Pii Wak cast a bit of a pall on working with street gangs. There were serious flaws with that program."

But there are others that work, he said, pointing to OPK, which does housing and renovation work with a modest hourly wage. In seven years, 55 people have gone through the program and during that time have not committed a serious offence, said Silver. They make the shift into the "mainstream economy and lifestyle," he said. "It's not a fun club for gangsters." It's the kind of option that's needed in the North End, the street gang members said.

"There are 30 guys in street gangs waiting to get into the program. What it needs is additional funding." Silver said it was mentioned during their meeting with Chomiak.

They're hoping the minister can get all Manitobans talking in a more constructive way about how to solve the street gang problems.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 11, 2009 A4

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14 Commentscomment icon

Luke mentioned "menial labor.":

I really don't get what this cities fear of the unemployed having to be employed for this so-called "menial labor". Anything from scrubbing toilets to working in the fast food industry, really anything that never gets you making exceptional pay, is considered "menial labor". Yet, it all has to be done by someone.
If gang members are complaining that employers think they are too ghetto to be hired, then they should rethink how they choose to dress and talk. Slurred gangster talk and using street terms and wearing baggy, "bling" clothes don't make a good impression. It screams "school drop out, rapper wannabe."
And just to give you gangsters a better clue: It's also hard for real honest people who have been laid off to find another job that matches their old income, too. It's a competitive world and the less education you have, the more difficult it is. So while your unemployed and living off drug addicts, get to school and at least try to fit in with society. Stop making excuses. No one wants to hear it. Or read it in the paper.

Oh, and anyone who spots a young child at night should immediatly call authorities. Don't just stare and shrug your shoulders and shake your head as if the street is a zoo. The child should not continue to suffer in neglect adn be surrounded by bad influence because of the parents lack of maturity and common sense.

If gang members really wanted to work, they would.

Why does society have to change and conform to them? That doesn't work for anyone else.

Pure socialist, Marxist/communist rhetoric. And pure trash.

"These guys more or less accept that if they do the crime, they do the time," said Jim Silver. The problem with that statement is that they know they can do the crime and do little or no time. If the consequence of making $50.00 selling drugs was 2 years of your life (no double credit while waiting for trial, no house arrest or early release) don't you think that might be a bigger incentive to find an honest job?

This country was built by immigrants that would get their hands dirty doing what is now considered menial labor. They did it so their children could fit in, get educated and move upwards. It would have been easier to do criminal acts but being caught was a high price to pay. There was a social stigma and again the time spent in jail made the rewards small. We've gone much too far with the social worker mentality. Every society requires checks and balances to perform correctly and punishment for crimes against the whole is an important part of that.

Politicians don't care about the people. They talk big and that's how they deal with it. They can't risk losing money out of there own pockets to help. You see it's the big businesses that get what they want and the people starve. With the amount of tax payers money that is given to these big companies should make all those employees government works.

@Chris Buors: The notion that it takes a community is socialist nonsense.

This is where I disagree completely. I am a mother of two small children, and without my 'community' of family and some friends, I know my kids would not be in as good a place as they are. I do not live in poverty, I do have a full time job, AND I have an involved husband/daddy for these kids, and STILL I find it difficult to raise them.

I cannot even imagine being a single mom, working a low paying job or living on welfare, with no community to turn to. My heart goes out to all those moms who want better for their kids and cannot provide it. My heart goes out to all those kids whose moms/dads care but are incapable of providing, and it ESPECIALLY goes out to those kids whose moms/dads don't care.

Add an aboriginal skin on top of all that, and you've got a recipe for disaster. I recognize the racism that is prevalent, and it does factor in to perpetuating the cycle.

We need big sisters, big brothers, caring neighbors who will step in when the kids are young, teachers who are empowered to help and intervene, drop in centers with caring volunteers that make activities and a safe place available. We DO need the community to be there -- that is, if we truly do want to see any sort of change.

Most of us started our working lives at a McDonalds, or grocery store, who will hire ANYONE literally. Lots of people though have too much 'pride' to work in a place like that, though they are your best bet to kick starting your 'career'.

Tell these gang members there is nothing this girl likes looking at better than seeing an aboriginal man in a nice suit, button up shirt or pants with a crease. (Can be just as cheap as extra baggy jeans, or GUnit hats etc..) Yumyum yum !!

And I agree about the better parenting. I don't understand what and when this part went wrong and it is VERY sad. Kids crave disipline, love and being taught. I would honestly be all for my taxes going to daycare centres for parents to drop off their tots whenever they want, and we who love children and love seeing them progress can teach them what they really need to know.

The solution is to end drug prohibition.

Since no political party will step up to the plate, I predict even more of the same as time rolls on just like I predicted things would get worse 10 years ago. The entire social network will break down into us vs. them unless prohibition ends. All this was going on when alcohol was prohibited too.

It takes parents to raise a child. The notion that it takes a community is socialist nonsense.


I have no idea what the solution might be but where I live the bull crap is moving closer to me and im scared. I have young children whom I keep a very close eye on!
I am already to the point that I want to move. I would like for my kids to live in a safer environment.
I grew up in this area and it was very comfortable then, now I myself am afraid to walk alone. I won't let my kids out after dark !

Interesting article and insight from all sides. I'm humbled from what I have read. Here's what really got my attention;

"The money is not staying in the North End. It's going into the suburbs to organized crime,"

This statement in itself should really be of no surprise. If we can work together in helping these troubled children, we are really helping ourselves and everyone around us.

The Spirit of Community should happen in every part of our city. What can we do to help?

Yup initialize a good incentive to enter sociaties inner circle. Not gang iniatations, wrong anwers to show a growth problematic infastructure needing attention. Our step to revitalize a relieve from socio-problems can be long term yes if you like to be. Whom knows better than mum. I know importance, I know potential, I know never to give up on our sociaties with given choices of today. Our laws our inplace to ensure they do work. So why then not do they help any? Sir Mcdonald, had some issues as any other in the day. Any means to support senstive support may one day manitoba is a hub for the next nations Country rebuild services for the globe. They can do it, Take away the terrorisms of drugs introduced to easy prey, sucked in to the promise of easy dollars, power and influence, Well if you ask me fallen to prey with drugs and gangs means someone pulled the wool over there eyes, they just helped sell out the country with poison, drugs, booze, well specific in reality maybe. some one had a real grudge to get back at the america's when they droped the H- bomb years ago, so some brainy chemists thought they would like to get back at there believes to introduce drugs to North america's? do your home street peoples, you should not be bought by drugs or promises of power look were you are. almost half dead with dope bullet ridlled knivin wounds and a tired community whom will not give up on you! #1 where your born. educated. What can you do? Whom can undsetand birthrates? Lauren

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