Inner cities in large cities have larger gang activities and greater homicides. “In the City of Los Angeles alone, there are over 400 separate gangs and an estimated 39,000 gang members…Gangs account for approximately 43% of all homicides in Los Angeles County” (Violence Prevention Coalition of Greater Los Angeles).  With statistics like these not only in LA but also all through the country it is important for people to address this issue.

The issue is not just that inner city youth is becoming involved in gangs and finding their way into incarceration, it is also that these teens and young adults then have a significantly harder time getting jobs if they decide to turn their life around. This is usually because of their criminal record, tattoos, or stereotypes. The only way to stop this cycle is to have organizations and volunteers help to decrease the activity of youth in gangs and get youth and previous gang members jobs. As Homeboy Industries motto says, “nothing stops a bullet like a job.”