Dear Arthur and friends,
Do not be surprised if more police presence will be seen in Pawtucket and Central Falls over the next few weeks when school lets out for summer vacation. Police are being very diligent to monitor rumors of retribution shootings. Resource police officers started duty this week at the Pawtucket high schools.
In essence, gang presence is mostly a result of poverty. Many teenagers, starting at age 12, have a very negative world view. They feel the employment situation hopeless at this time. What is a faster way to make money than to indulge in crime?
When a teen is killed, everyone suffers. Think of how large, in terms of numbers, families and neighborhoods and ethnic cultures can be. When one suffers in ethnic groups, the entire neighborhood suffers.
I feel badly for all those teens who died and the families and extended families involved. I am sorry for their troubles.
