A rising tide of gang violence brought concerned residents to a City Council hearing Wednesday in hopes of finding a way to solve what they say is a growing problem.
“Gangs are destroying the city,” said Maria Vismale, a 17-year-old senior at Western High School who attended the hearing.
“Children are afraid to go outside and play in my neighborhood. It?s affecting the lives of my family and everyone in the community,” she said.
“It?s a growing problem in the schools,” said Akil Hamm, a detective for the Baltimore public school system. “We?ve currently identified roughly 1,000 gang members in the school system.”
Presented at the hearing was the Baltimore City Gang Violence Reduction plan ? a comprehensive strategy drafted by the Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
The plan identified roughly 2,600 gang members and 170 criminal street gangs.
The plan calls for increased opportunities and social interventions for youth, increased penalties for gang members who possess and use firearms, standardized regional reporting of the number of gang members throughout the area, and other initiatives.
Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke said she supported the plan, emphasizing the need for more diversionary activities for city youth.
“I live in a district where it?s pretty hard to find organized sports and youth activities,” she said. “We need to give them positive groups, a healthy alternative where they can grow.”
While the current city budget includes increases for recreation centers, some city leaders said it was not enough.
Councilman James Kraft, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, cited unsolved homicides as a symptom of a divided community unable to cope.
“We can?t fight this problem without everyone?s cooperation,” he said. “This is simply a crisis we have to fight together every day.”
