In new tactic, L.A. goes after gangs' money

[Adsos Letter]

SOURCE: Christian Science Monitor

Los Angeles - The gang capital of the world is taking a new tack against them: cash damages.

The city of Los Angeles, plagued by 23,000 violent gang crimes since 2004, including 784 murders and 12,000 felony assaults, announced Tuesday that it had won its first civil judgment, for $5 million, against a criminal gang that had dominated the heroin trade downtown for decades.

The verdict could bode well for another first-of-its-kind lawsuit the city filed last month that goes after all assets of gang leaders, not just those associated with their criminal activity. Both suits seek to plow the money back into improving the neighborhoods affected by the gangs through a fund.

"By giving prosecutors more tools to fight gang activity at the local level, we are protecting our communities at the same time we're able to strengthen our statewide anti-gang efforts," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a statement released with the announcement of the $5 million verdict against the 5th and Hill gang in L.A.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0115/p01s01-usgn.html

[aquart]

1. Worked with the KKK.

[Adsos Letter]

3. And with that Aryan Nations group up in idaho...

Butler's people.

[villager]

2. Perhaps this would work against Republicans, too?

n/t

[Joe the Liberal]

4. Bwahahahahahaha..........

Well if it worked for the KKK and it seems to be working for gangs in LA it would make sense to work on the republicans too. I mean Republicans seem to be nothing more than a criminal organization nowadays. :rofl:

[Greyhound]

5. That is why this is a dangerous tactic.

Good intentions and all, this smacks of the travesty instituted in the 80s in the "war on drugs". Sounds great, but where does it end?

[kristopher]

6. Heaven forbid we should just decriminalize drugs. nt