Quintero’s plan won’t stop gangs
Fresno City Councilmember Sal Quintero’s gang-injunction ordinance will waste taxpayer dollars and seriously impact Fresno’s youth. His timing indicates that he’s grandstanding for his Fresno County Board of Supervisors run.
Noted in The Bee’s recent article, this vaguely worded ordinance allows police to arrest, fine and even jail “suspected” gang members for “harassment.” It does not take measures to protect kids who are not criminals, but may be wearing the wrong color or just saying the wrong thing.
It is well documented that similar gang injunctions have unfairly impacted young people of color (affiliated or not), tacking on criminal records that seriously derail their futures.
There is no proof anywhere that fines or jail time solve gang problems. If Quintero and the rest of the council truly care about preventing crime, they should do their homework. Nothing stops gangs, violence and crime like decent jobs and housing, quality schools and effective health and social services. These are all cheaper options than locking our kids up.
Quintero can choose to be careless with his campaign messages, but should not be allowed to waste tax dollars and be careless with our kids’ futures.
Sabina Gonzalez-Eraña, Fresno
This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Quintero’s plan won’t stop gangs."