Fr_Chuck asked this question on 12/30/1999:

As those who have read my profile know, I work innercity ministry. I see the homeless, drugs, crime, scams and the such every day and evening. My office and home have bars on the windows, doors and security systems. I see them go to prison and come right back out into the same system. Aids and other disease runs wild.

Of course my work is worth it if only one soul is saved.

Can anyone help to explain what the draw of the street is. The young men and women see the old men and women on the street, they see them sleep under the bridge, in the boarded up building or in the door steep of an large building. So why do they follow them there and take their place in years to come?

The 10 and 12 year old ( if that is not already too old) see the shootings, two drive bys in within 100 yards of my home last month. they see there older friends, relatives, hurt or killed. So why do they feel they have to pick up the gun and follow that path.

I quess the over all question is what can we do? I work one on one but for every one that is helped it seems 10 more are missed

blue_eyes_33 gave this response on 1/6/2000:

The answer is not simple but I most definately can tell you why they are drawn to the streets. When you are born and raised in the innercity you follow the drug deals and gang bangers because they have status in their community. The ten and twelve year old children follow the same path for a few reasons. The first being they can feel big and important among their peers. Ass far as gangs go sometimes, more often than not these children have no choice but to join a gang.If they do not join the gangs they are beat up and harrassed until they give in and join the gang. Not many people are aware of the fact that these children in the innercity come from generations of gang bangers and drug dealers. Their parents are drug users and as for society they would rather turn a blind eye than help the child obtain a good education and be good role models for these children. The child welfare also can share blame in some of the problems as well because the children who need to be removed are left in the home to fend for themselves which leads to a life of crime. The profile of a victim is the exact same as a criminal. 15, male, low birth weight, aa close relative in prison, single - parent household, and innercity upbringing. I hope this helped you. I could go on for days and I should write a book but we have a lot of problems that are not ging to be fixed anytime soon.

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loved the answer would love to hear more from this person