DEEP INSIDE THE YOUNG CRIMINAL MIND

Even though the United States has an estimated 56 times more youth
gangs than Canada, that doesn't mean our country is immune to the problem.

Based on national reports, as well as his own 2002 Canadian Police
survey on Youth Gangs commissioned by the federal government, Michael
Chettleburgh estimates as many as 434 youth gangs exist in Canada and
216 of those are active in Ontario alone.

For more than 10 years, Mr. Chettleburgh, a Richmond Hill resident,
has dedicated his time and expertise to helping people understand the
culture and nature of street gangs across the country.

He is now considered One of North America's leading experts and
commentators on street gangs and youth criminal justice matters.

However, crime and gangs were not always at the top of his list of
interests.

After graduating with an economics degree from York University, Mr.
Chettleburgh began his work in the technological sector, but
discovered something very important.

"I realized it just wasn't for me," he said.

Relocating to Ottawa, he was initially involved in the health field,
but during the mid-1990s; he changed direction again and began
studying crime.

Creating Astwood Strategy Corporation, a criminal justice research,
evaluation and management consultancy in 1993, it wasn't until 2005,
after the Boxing Day shooting of 15-year-old Jane Creba in Toronto,
that Mr. Chettleburgh decided to go even further in his research to
understand gang crimes specifically.

The Creba shooting was a pivotal moment, he said, and lead to his first
book, Young Thugs: Inside the Dangerous World of Canadian Street Gangs.

"After that shooting was the time when people started taking gangs
seriously," he said.

Released last year, the book answers many questions such as how gangs
make money and how jails help to breed them.

"This is a book written for the average Canadian and I wanted to get
people engaged," Mr. Chettleburgh said.

"I want people to understand that this is not just a Toronto,
Vancouver, Ottawa or Montreal issue because it's much broader. And
parents to know what they need to do and the important role families
play."

It was nominated and chosen as a finalist for the 2008 Donner Book
Prize, given to the best publication on Canadian Public Policy.

"It was a tremendous honour," Mr. Chettleburgh said. "Typically, when
you look at the nominees, it's books on the environment or other
things, but to see a book like this tells me it's on the public's
consciousness because there wasn't enough awareness before."

Now the question is: why not?

Regarded as one of North America's leading experts in street gangs and
youth criminal justice, Mr. Chettleburgh believes the lack of
awareness stems from a variety of factors, including race.

"Those who don't live in marginalized or broader areas and communities
believe it doesn't concern them," he said. "Race is an issue and
society is starting to wake up. Being very blunt, white people are the
power-based, unmarginalized in our communities. (People) thought if
it's just black people shooting black people, then it's not in my back
yard."

While the report shows black (25 per cent) and First Nations (21 per
cent), represent the largest proportion of youth gang members, Mr.
Chettleburgh points out Caucasians are not far behind at 20 per cent.

"This issue is going on everywhere in our community," he
said.

In his travels across the country, he has spoken to many people both
affiliated with and a part of street gangs, helping him gain valuable
insight into what causes someone not only to join, but why members
leave and the misconceptions people have.

"Factors depend on the youth, but many have a lot in common like
coming from broken homes with only one visible parent, which leads to
wanting to belong. Many want to make money quickly, too," he said.

However, two things help drive some to leave a life of crime behind:
growing up and maturing or physically moving from a
neighbourhood.

"Many times, it's a simple matter of location. But parents also need
to equip their children with the knowledge they need as early as five
and six years old. Starting at 12 and 13 is too late," he said.

"But what I don't ever hear is it's because of violent video games or
hip-hop music. Those are not primary drivers and not even in the
top-10. You're not going to hear a gangster say that Grand Theft Auto
4 or (rapper) 50 Cent were the reason. That's nonsense."

Rather than focusing on the latest games or music, Mr. Chettleburgh
would rather see larger steps taken by all levels of government to
address the socio-economics, families and the illicit drug trade that
fuel gangs.

Not one to shy away from unconventional ideas, through his research
Mr. Chettleburgh has come to believe legalizing marijuana would help
cripple the hold gangs have on society.

"Where you have gangs, you'll have illicit drug trade. Just look at
the U.S. If you're concerned with gangs, that needs to be looked at
because a lot of gangsters make money off drugs," he said.

Mr. Chettleburgh points out cigarettes are legal to adults and
socially acceptable, but kill almost 50,000 Canadians a year and are
regulated and taxed by the government.

On the other hand, despite only being legal for medicinal purposes,
marijuana's distribution helps fund street gangs.

If the same approach was taken with marijuana as cigarettes, he said,
it would hamper the drug sales street gangs thrive on.

"Prohibitions don't work. Look at what happened in the U.S.," he said.
"Right now, we are allowing gangs to decide where, who and what gets
sold. What we need to understand is we can't get a hold on drug trade,
but can look at drug reform and tax it, putting the money earned back
into prevention."

Convinced that for at least the next two decades, street crimes will
continue to grow, based on the high amount of low-end job
opportunities, social housing and growing demand for illicit drugs,
Mr. Chettleburgh wants to see the country as a whole do better.

"We can't arrest the situation," he said.