Programs aim to deter kids from gangs

Andrew Wainer

While the Huntington Beach Police Department’s Gang Unit tries to reign

in gangsters after they’ve begun their criminal careers, other community

members work with kids before they come into contact with law

enforcement.

Paul Castillo of Community Service Programs Inc. is one of those people.

“I use peer discussion groups because the kids like discussing things

among themselves,” Castillo said.

Castillo said he was surprised by Huntington Beach’s gang problem when he

arrived on the job two years ago.

“It’s larger than people know,” he said.

Working out of the Oak View Community Center, Castillo has developed a

variety of enrichment programs for kids so they can engage in fun

activities after school.

“In many of these kids’ homes, both parents are working, so no one is

home after school,” Castillo said.

Happily, Castillo is able to claim some success in his counseling

efforts.

“None of the kids I’ve worked with have joined the gang,” he said.

The DARE program, coordinated by Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Janet

Perez, aims to give students the resources and confidence to avoid

joining a gang.

“We try to tell kids how to structure their lives so that gangs are not

so appealing,” Perez said.

The DARE program, which also deals with drug issues, is a 10-session

program that the police bring into Huntington Beach schools.

“We use scenarios to help students make the right decisions,” Perez said.

“One deals with some kids who go to the mall and are hanging out with

some gangsters.”

In the scenario, the kids are later busted for being with a gang while

the gang got in trouble.

“We then try and backtrack to see how the kids could have made better

decisions about who to spend time with,” Perez said.

Perez said the kids are taught the fundamentals of the criminal justice

system so they are aware of the consequences for engaging in criminal

activity.

“We go to all the junior highs in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley,”

Perez said.

The program also offers classes for parents.

“We follow up our student programs with parents, to try and help them

deal with their kids,” Perez said. “We want them to use good disciplinary

guidelines.”