Northwest Public Radio News

Portland Institutes Tougher Anti-Gang Procedures

Our final story in our Living in Gangland series takes us to the streets of Portland where a resurgence in gang activity has the mayor and police instituting new and tougher anti-gang procedures.

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Tacoma Claims Success in Fighting Gangs

In Tacoma the Pierce County Prosecutor has introduced a new—and effective--weapon in the battle with the gangsters…the criminal conspiracy law.   Conspire together to break the law—and you may appear together to face the consequences.

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Keeping Kids off the Streets

 
Staff and volunteers at Seattle's Rainier Vista Boys' and Girls' Club

We turn to the tough streets of southeast Seattle where a new community-supported club is finding some success in bringing kids in from the cold embrace of gangs.  It’s called the Ranier Vista Boys’ and Girls’ Club.

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Tackling Gang Violence in Caldwell, Idaho

 

The city of Caldwell is just off Interstate 84 in southwest Idaho. It's surrounded by farmland and for years, by gang trouble. That is until the community decided to try and get the upper hand. Correspondent Scott Ki report.

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Getting out of Gangland

 
 
In our final report in this week’s special series on gangs in the Northwest, we investigate exit strategies.  One is prison.  Another is the often death. Correspondent Jessica Robinson introduces us to a man who found a third way.

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Living in Gangland: Mothers, Daughters, Sisters

 
As we continue our week-long series on the spiraling problem of gangs across the Northwest, Correspondent Anna King explores the issue from an unusual perspective—through the eyes of the mothers, sisters and girlfriends of gang members.  They may not choose the life—but they suffer its consequences.

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Living in Gangland: Woman Fights Back, Others Afraid

 
Her name is "Maria." It's not her real name because she worries for her safetly, but even so she is combating gangs in her small town.  As Anna King reports, the gangs have guns and the threat of violence.  Maria is fighting back with leaflets—and plans for streetlights and a garden.

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Living in Gangland: Rural Gangs Claim Public Lands

 
 
The La Raza (Nortenos 14) gang in Yakima, WA. Photo from nwgangs.com

All this week on Morning Edition and All Things Considered we’ll be taking a closer, and at times uncomfortable look, at gangs across the Northwest.  Gang violence is considered a big city problem but in parts of the rural Northwest, police are grappling with gang rivalries, graffiti and drive-by shootings. Correspondent Austin Jenkins takes us into the countryside where he came upon an old fishing hole—and a pack of gang members.

Living in Gangland Part One