The Times-Tribune reports that police have arrested three members of the Bloods street gang, including two West Scranton High School students, on criminal homicide charges. The three young men - ages 17, 18 and 25 - were sent to Lackawanna County Prison without bail.
West Scranton High School's website states that the school "is a microcosm of the community it serves." This likely is true - and the fact that at least two of its students have become involved with an organization as violent as the Bloods says a great deal about the serious problems facing our cities and schools.
Last spring, the Times-Tribune reported that Scranton officials finally admitted, after years of denial, that gangs were operating in the city. Since 2005, nearly 400 likely or confirmed gang members have entered Lackawanna County Prison; at any time, 8% to 12% of the county's 900 inmates are suspected or confirmed gang members.
Though many local people blame the emergence of gangs on an influx of people from Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, we must also admit that young people born and bred in our area are becoming involved with gangs and we must ask how we may begin turning things around.
Prevention is key, since once a person becomes involved with a gang and its criminal activities, he or she puts their whole future at risk.
A competent and knowledgeable Scranton criminal defense lawyer can help someone who has been caught up in the criminal justice system because of his or her gang affiliation get back on track.
If you have been charged with a gang-related crime in Lackawanna County, then you need a Scranton criminal defense attorney who can defend your rights and your freedom. If you need help, then you should contact Rogan Law today.
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