Gang Crackdowns Provide Only Short-Term Relief

Gang injunctions -- when police reduce gang activity by prohibiting gang members from hanging out together, not wear gang colors, and observe curfews -- provide communities with short-term benefits, but fail to reduce violence and return a sense of social control, according to a new study.

Researchers at UC Irvine and the University of Southern California found that injunctions reduce residents' fear of run-ins with gang members, but more significant changes in the community take more time.

The study found that more steps need to be taken by officials and members of the community -- on top of the injunctions -- to produce more positive effects.

"The consistently positive short-term outcomes indicate that injunctions are a promising strategy," said Cheryl Maxson, the lead author of the study and a professor of criminology, law and society at UCI. "Injunctions crack the window of opportunity for change, but for enduring community improvements, we need not just a stick but a carrot – such as opportunity for vocational, educational or personal growth among gang members."

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Gang Injunctions Give Communities Short-Term Relief, Study Shows