GANGS

GANGS. In 1993 the DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT formed a Gang Task Force with Don Moody, principal of STEPHEN HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL, as its chairperson. The purpose of the group was to address gang activity in schools and ensure that the district's discipline policy included gang activity, assault, and repetitive fighting. Police officials were on record that up to a dozen men were positively identified as gang members belonging to the Vice Lords of Chicago and Milwaukee. Police also suspected the presence of Black Gangster Disciple members. The task force studied the gang policies of districts in Burlington, Clinton, Davenport, Sioux City, and Waterloo and planned to report to the school board in January or February, 1994. (1)

On April 15, 1994 members of the Task Force on Gangs, Drugs, and Youth Violence held a press conference. Members announced the focus of the group would be on alternative activities for youth, legislative solutions, providing public information and education. The composition of the task force would include policy makers from the schools, police department, city, juvenile justice and the judicial system. (2)

Task force goals were: (3)

    a. to promote equal enforcement of rules by authority figures including
    courts, parents, teachers, school administrators, and policy makers,
    b. provide accurate information about gangs, drugs and youth violence,
    c. to identify prevention, support and intervention programs in order
    to minimize environmental factors which might influence young people to
    affiliate with gangs
    d. urge community responses concerning gangs, drugs and youth violence
    such as "zero tolerance" of signs, symbols or behavior

According to an article in the Telegraph Herald on May 4, 1997, graffiti associated with violent street gangs first appeared in Dubuque around 1992. These signs were associated with the Vice Lords, Crips, Gangster Disciples, and Latin Kings. (4)

Statics associated with gangs included that 90% of the members had been arrested by the time they were 18, 75% twice and 95% had dropped out of high school. By the time they were 20, 60% of gang members were dead or in jail. Police were taking a "zero tolerance" toward gang activity. (5)

People affiliated with gang activity in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Rockford were found to be moving into Dubuque because there were no local gangs and plenty of room for everyone. The drugs being sold including cocaine, which was first seen locally in 1992, also brought up to three times the price as compared to the larger cities. Disagreement existed over whether police were targeting blacks. Lettie Prell, an analyst with Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning stated that 55% of those convicted for drug dealing in Dubuque County were white. (6)

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Source:

1. Krapfl, Mike. "Panel Wants Pro-Active Gang Policies," Telegraph Herald, December 1, 1993, p. 3A

2. Eiler, Donnelle. "Dubuque Looks for Help to Stop Gang Activity," Telegraph Herald, April 15, 1994, p. 2

3. Ibid.

4. Sweeney, Kathleen. "Police Advise Citizens, Community to 'Gang Up' on Gangs," Telegraph Herald, May 4, 1997, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19970504&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

5. Ibid.

6. Sweeney, Kathleen. "Report: Gang Members Increase Dubuque Drug Sales," Telegraph Herald, August 22, 1997, p. 3A. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19970822&printsec=frontpage&hl=en