What can be done to slow or even stop gang violence?

First of all, you have to look at the root of why and how gangs form. Every human being has a tendency to join groups. We like belonging to something bigger. We need social interaction. We need others to love and for them to love us- we need a family. Many of these young kids who join gangs do not feel like they have a family of their own. Many feel like outsiders who feel like they need to belong. This is how gangs recruit so many young people.

Crime is most commonly linked to people who are either poor or are facing hard times. Economic hardship inevitably linked to gang crime. Selling illegal drugs or weapons are booming and prosperous businesses in many cities. The demand is quite for drugs in a society that is impoverished, and in a society dominated by gangs, security is a necessity in order to survive, so guns of course sell well.

An entire industry has sprouted in large part due to our laws. It's easier to get an illegal weapon or an illegal drug than it is to get legal ones. Many of these gang members actually work hard within this industry. Imagine if all drugs were legal. How would this change the game? What would be the point of buying drugs from a dealing gang member when you could purchase it from the government. In no way am I promoting the legalization of drugs, but that makes you at least think about the concepts of supply and demand. Gangs would not thrive without the illegal drug trade. So ending the drug trade somehow would probably help stop gang violence.

Gang violence only comes after gangs have matured to a point where respect, pride, revenge, and competition become major factors within their society. There was a great quote from this police office in an article I recently read. He said that the shootings were always about three things: drugs, money, guns, and respect. In my opinion, if you take drugs out of the picture, the other three will not exist.