Does Portland have a real solution for its gang problem?

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Air date: 
Wed, 01/21/2009 - 12:00am
Does Portland have a real solution for its gang problem?

Portland has seen 11 gang-related shootings since the Dec. 12 murder of a gang member inside the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. City leaders are calling it a "gang war crisis" and the Portland police want a new coordinated strategy to combat the violence. But the call for action comes when many outreach programs are struggling for funding. Will the city's new effort address the causes or just the symptoms of gang violence? Will the rush to take action create bigger problems like innocent youth getting profiled for gang involvement?

This week, Jo Ann and Dave talk with John Canda, a former gang outreach worker for the city of Portland and Clayborn Collins, executive director of Emmanual Community General Services, about what needs to be done to really solve Portland's gang problem.

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