gang expert
Gang expert and author of the forthcoming book, The Mexican Mafia, based on his research over the past seven years
PROFILE
Tony Rafael
Guest
FROM Tony Rafael
Which Way, L.A.?
Street Gangs Go International Los Angeles street gangs have spread all over the US. Now, they've become an international phenomenon, moving back and forth across borders--especially to Mexico and Central America--to terrorize neighborhoods and commit crimes, including extortion and murder. For the next three days, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton is hosting an international summit on what to do. His counterparts from Mexico, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras along with the LA Sheriff's Department , FBI , DEA , and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are all in attendance. We hear how extortion and murder migrate across the borders. Can law enforcement agencies learn how to cooperate? Will they ever be more than a temporary solution?
Which Way, L.A.?
Has LA Gang Violence Turned into Ethnic Cleansing? After a brief dip several years ago, gang violence in Los Angeles is rising again. On Monday, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to put a new property tax on the ballot to provide $50 million a year for anti-gang programs. Council members and police have been alarmed by the recent killings of several young blacks for no reason other than race. The killings appear to be the acts of Latino death squads trying to push black residents out of their neighborhoods. Even with the new tax, can the police stop the violence before it spirals out of control? Guest host Jim Sterngold speaks with gang experts, law enforcement and state and local politicians.
Recommended
KCRW Features
Spencer the Gardener’s frontman gabs about Santa Barbara’s music scene The band Spencer the Gardener has been playing at bars and music venues in Santa Barbara for decades. We sit down with the frontman to talk about how the local live music scene has changed over the years.
The Mixer
Heading for the fire exit Thousands of Californians are spending the holidays deciding what to do next after devastating wildfires. The Camp Fire – in northern California – took out nearly an entire town, killing at least 86 people. And the Woolsey Fire, closer to home, left 3 people dead, chewing through nearly 100,000 acres in L.A. and Ventura Counties. Ken Pimlott knows those names all too well. He heads up the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and today is his last day on the job.