Security Threat Groups: HEART

Currently, there are about a million of gang members identified in the United States, and about twenty percent of them are located in California. In some areas of California, more than half of the crime is gang related and in Southern California, gang homicides are raising to a 125 percent increase in murders since 2006 (Lopez, 2009). According to Daniel McMullen, FBI agent of gangs in Los Angeles says that “southern California is the epicenter of street gangs and in the city of LA, there are nineteen gangs operating that have military training” (Lopez, 2009). Over the years, many youths within schools are the main targets for gang recruiters; therefore, anti-gang programs are implemented in schools to reduce violence and youth-gang membership.

Human Efforts Aimed at Relating Together (HEART) is a program to inform youths about the dangers of joining a gang and to prevent and reduce violence. HEART is a mediation program implemented in Los Angeles School District for children and adolescents from different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds to resolve problems through words rather than using violence (Lopez, 1999). It was created in 1992 by Joel T. Juntilla, a youth relations assistant for the LA Unified School District (Wedner, 1999). HEART’s main purpose is to “encourage young people to assume responsibility and accountability for maintaining a safe school campus” (Lopez, 2009). HEART’s mediators involves teachers, school counselors and administrators to apply the “Four Ds to Conflict Mediation and Resolution” which are to “defuse the situation; create a dialogue between parties in conflict, decide on a solution, which is formalized in a written contract, and do what you promise” to students or participates (Wedner, 1999).

Over the years, HEART has been an effective program to reduce school violence as well as to prevent youths from joining gangs. According to Pete Salazar, Birmingham’s dean of students says that “I’m so impressed with how these mediator work, last year we had many fights breaking out, and I had to kick students out of school. I’ve been trained by HEART now, and I have a good feeling that we now have a handle on these problems on campus” (Wedner, 1999). Furthermore, Rocio Martinez, a Youth Relations Associate in the Crime Prevention Unit for the LA Unified School District, reports that “young ladies (all between 11 and 14 years old) this program was their last shot at redeeming themselves before the LAUSD would have to wash their hands of them and deliver them to the authorities” (Lopez, 2009).

What makes HEART an effective program? HEART is an effective program to reduce school violence and prevent youths from joining gangs because it involves representatives from each ethnic, racial, and religious group to teach youths about cultural differences, and it provides a secure and safe environment as well as assistance and guidance. Since many of these youths are face with racial discrimination and lack guidance from their single-parent, HEART provides information, builds relationships and identity, and a place to study.

Unfortunately, the HEART program and many other prevention programs are suffering from a budget crisis. HEART’s budget is being cut in half, leaving only eight counselors to provide guidance, assist, and talk to students in about 400 public middle and high schools. Many individuals and the government have argue that education is the most effective method to reduce gang violence, but funding have been cut, leaving students with no books, no music classes, and recreational classes; therefore, leaving children with no choice, but to be on the streets and possibility of using violence and joining gangs. Most of these children, live with a single parent and are absent in their children lives; therefore, they need other mentors to guide them in the right path of their future. In addition, these youths want an education and are willing to learn. For example, one student says that she completes her homework at two in the morning because it is the only time that it’s peaceful for her to concentrate. Most of these children want to learn and earn an education, but with the lack of resources and living situations, they feel discouraged and tend to give up. Another student reveals that he was bruised and bloodied arriving to school every single day because he had to arrive to school through enemy territories. Children need love, affection, and belongingness, so we need to make an effort to persuade the government for more funding while we can dedicate our times to volunteer and make a difference.