22 April 2014
Latin Kings in Humboldt Park
Chicago, Illinois: a perfect place for gangs such as the Latin Kings to spread. Among the many areas that make up the city, the chaos continues to grow when it comes to drugs and violence. Humboldt Park in Chicago has a very dense population dominated by gang members mostly included in the Latin Kings. For more than thirty years, the gang’s “Motherland” is at the corner of Spaulding and Beach in West Humboldt Park (Kugler). Though it is nearly impossible to fully eliminate the Latin Kings in the area, steps may be taken to slow them down. A solution to this problem is to have harsher punishments and longer sentences for the gang members who are arrested in the future. With time, this …show more content…
Not only are these members targeting other gangs, but also innocent people. A common gang initiation requirement for the person wishing to join is to kill someone. According to CBS Chicago, in March 2012, two Latin King affiliated members shot and killed a six-year-old girl who was playing in her front yard. Within that weekend, there were around ten fatal shootings and around thirty-four others wounded (“At Least”). Gunshots are heard every day in this region, and many of them result in Latin King victims. Families are scared to go outside, never knowing if they will become a casualty of the next shooting. These Latin King members are so ruthless that they even harm their own men. According to No Way Out, Juan Vanga, 22, was beaten by other members for three minutes just to get out of the gang. This shows that there is even violence inside the gang (“No …show more content…
This gang, that will do anything for the business, is taking innocent lives and causing havoc every day. Without taking actions to this problem, it will continue to progress and become worse. With any problem there is a solution. To begin gaining control of the Latin Kings in Humboldt Park, harsher punishments and longer sentences for the members who are arrested in the future need to be given. By doing so, progress will be seen and the streets will become a safer place.
Works Cited
"At Least 10 Dead, Dozens Wounded In Weekend Violence - CBS Chicago." CBS Chicago. N.p., 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .
Hull Chicago, By Jon D. "No Way Out." Time 140.7 (1992): 38. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
Knox, George W. "Gang Profile: The Latin Kings." NGCRC. National Gang Crime Research Center, 2010. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .
Kugler, John. "Gang Violence Across Humboldt Park - Substance News." Gang Violence across Humboldt Park - Substance News. N.p., 19 June 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. .
Lemmer, Thomas J., Gad J. Bensingecr, and Arthur J. Lurigio. "An Analysis of Police Responses to Gangs in Chicago." Police Practice & Research 9.5 (2008): 417-430. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
Torres, Sandra. "10 Arrested in Humboldt Park Gang Bust." NBC Chicago. N.p., 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.