Are g-bangers getting more prevalent?

[Notorious]

Don't the sheriffs determine shall issue at the county level. If all the sheriffs upheld the 2nd Amendment of the constitution, then it wouldn't be in the hands of the politicians...well unless you consider the sheriff more of a politician.

The Sheriff's Office, being an elected one, pretty much determines that the Sheriff has to be a politician. The Sheriff is subject to popular whims and the ballot box if he wants job security.

You cannot hold an elected office without being a politician, and in SoCal, only the San Bernardino County Sheriff has a fairly open shall issue policy.

[odysseus]

in human words that means the definition of who is and isn't a gang member varies by locality and agency. so if in one reporting agency includes "associates" in their reported data, and another only includes documented gang members, then you're comparing apples to oranges.

Non LEO here.

Thanks for the comments, this is an interesting and important thread.

On what I quoted: I don't see where there is apples and oranges, in terms that "associates" are other gang affiliated people that are sympathetic and usually aid say a "hard core" rep member. Behaviorally they assist and harbor the gang members for various benefit, even if not a direct member claiming authority under the gang. What do you mean to say by that it is apples and oranges between an associate and documented gang member? I would think that as a study perspective we might actually want a looser statistical variable to truly count in active gang participation, tacit or direct.

I think socially we are dealing with an onion of different layers. I think youth today further more than before consider lawless activity as respectable or even morally correct in a twisted perspective about "the system" that I have heard voiced from even better off soci-economic youth, from the all-black clothes wearing suburban anarchist, to organized criminal gang members. There is a growing tenor out there which certainly could be looked at in a behavioral psychology point of view, but it means more youth willfully wish to feel and claim to be disenfranchised from society. It's disgusting for sure.

[adrenaline]

The Sheriff's Office, being an elected one, pretty much determines that the Sheriff has to be a politician. The Sheriff is subject to popular whims and the ballot box if he wants job security.

You cannot hold an elected office without being a politician, and in SoCal, only the San Bernardino County Sheriff has a fairly open shall issue policy.

Granted they are elected and are pretty much politicians. Once they are in, do LEO have an influence if they feel their citizens would be better off armed....

I kind of think of it as one of my town halls where I work in the private sector. We get to voice our complaints to the big boss. What makes my job easier, safer, more enjoyable, etc.

[Notorious]

Granted they are elected and are pretty much politicians. Once they are in, do LEO have an influence if they feel their citizens would be better off armed....

I kind of think of it as one of my town halls where I work in the private sector. We get to voice our complaints to the big boss. What makes my job easier, safer, more enjoyable, etc.

Unfortunately, LA and OC county sheriffs don't feel their citizens are better served to be armed. Neither do the city police chiefs for the most part.