Series: Gangs: Behind The Headlines: Editorial Introduction

WHY A SERIES ON GANGS? BECAUSE WE ALL NEED TO KNOW

If you've seen the front page of today's Times, you could not help but
notice; the first installment in a five-part series on gang activity on the
Central Coast.

The Times has devoted considerable time and space to the project, called
"Gangs: Behind the Headlines."

You may ask: Why a gang series?

The Times believes a better questions might be: Why gangs?

Why do they exist? What is the toll in human and property damage? How do
they influence social trends and culture? What can we do about them?

The gang phenomenon exists on the fringes of our daily lives. It is not
just and inner-city problem. It may not be visible most of the time, but it
does impact our local communities in a multitude of ways.

We may try to ignore the problem, or pretend it doesn't exist. But
sometimes it is shoved in our faces in alarming and violent fashion, and
then we ask ourselves: How could it happen? Why here? Is there a solution?

The Times explores the problem and tries to answer some of these questions
in "Gangs: Behind the Headlines."