A Crackdown in a Good Cause : Gangs Feel the Heat as the Cops Swoop In

The huge federal roundup and arrest of Crips and Bloods gang members in 11 states this week won’t end the Southern California gang problem by any means. No one is claiming that, including the federal agents who organized this seemingly precise and wholly remarkable operation. But over the short run at least, well-conceived law enforcement action will help. And for providing precisely this public service, the hundreds of federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and other federal and local agencies deserve all the credit in the world for taking on these hard cases and attempting to bring them to justice.

Culminating months of work, the agents invaded the gangs’ blood-soaked territories and made more than 160 arrests over the two-day roundup--many in L.A., Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. These included gang leaders who terrorize neighborhoods, organize drug distribution and conduct drive-by shootings aimed at rival gang members but which often hit innocent bystanders.

The gang problem in America is clearly an organized crime problem as well as a youth and family-disintegration problem. There is an important role for tough-minded law enforcement to play in combatting it. Targeting the leaders of the Crips and Bloods could weaken the organizations, just as taking out top Mafia leaders hurts their organizations. But there’s nothing to stop the No. 2 guys from now moving up.

Still, the news is encouraging, because it indicates that the feds have not given up as the young gangsters continue to peddle crack and commit murder. The crackdown also occurs at a time when the price of cocaine is rising. Forcing up the price won’t stop the most desperate addicts, but it will discourage more casual users and make it harder for the gangs involved in drugs to make their heavy profits.

The gang-related death toll in Los Angeles last year set records. The combined body count for Los Angeles city and county approached 1,000--mostly young men, of course. Rarely a day passes without a gang-related murder. As the wars escalated, sons--and a few daughters--died. As the turf battles became fiercer, parents--and a few grandparents--got in the way. Some victims were more innocent than others, but each time someone died, someone mourned.

Are there any solutions? Gun control would help; drive-by shootings are hard to pull off with a knife. So would better schools, better drug control, more community involvement, more youth program innovation, more job-training programs.

But better law enforcement--which includes more law enforcement cooperation and planning--has a huge role to play. These gangs must be made to feel the heat. The heat came down on them this week. Everyone who cares about this problem is extremely grateful.