YOUNGSTOWN South Side residents take stand on gangs
A canvass of three streets turned up 111 vacant houses.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Nearly all residents surveyed on three South Side streets say they want to know whether reported gang members live among them.
Two residents told members of the Southern Block Watch that sexual predators must register their addresses so why not gang members, said Maggy Lorenzi, block-watch member.
Lorenzi participated last week in the block watch's canvass of East Avondale, East Lucius and East Auburndale avenues (from South Avenue to Market Street). The canvassers made contact with 421 houses, finding 111 of the structures vacant. Three residents chose not to participate in the survey.
Canvassers asked residents two questions: "Would you want to know where gang members live on your street?" and "Would you be interested in community policing, where neighbors look out for neighbors through the block watch?"
Of the 143 residents questioned, 133 said "Yes," they wanted to know where gang members live on their street and 137 said they'd be interested in community policing.
The survey was prompted after 11 adults and 18 juveniles were charged a month ago in Mahoning County Juvenile Court with participation in a criminal gang. Juvenile Judge Theresa Dellick withheld the juveniles' addresses from The Vindicator, citing safety concerns.
The newspaper obtained addresses for the adults from Mahoning County jail records. Those 18 and older were juveniles when the suspected crimes were committed.
Police said the defendants are members of either the South Side Soldiers, L Unit (Lucius Avenue) or Dale Boys (Auburndale and Avondale avenues). The gang members reportedly did everything from drug offenses and theft to vandalism and shooting at one another.
Working with results
Lorenzi dropped off the survey results Wednesday to The Vindicator, Police Chief Jimmy F. Hughes and to Judge Dellick's office. "We'll wait and see what the judge does with the information," she said.
Lorenzi said she recorded addresses for the 111 vacant houses and will obtain a demolition list from the city.
"People told us which houses are being used by vagrants or are drug houses," Lorenzi said. "We can funnel the information to the police through the block watch."
During the canvassing, block-watch members recorded some of the residents' comments, such as being afraid to go out in their yards or letting their children out to play.
Also, the mother of a 13-year-old boy said he was almost hit in his bedroom by gunfire from a drive-by shooting aimed at a neighbor.
The survey quoted one father as saying his son was told his safety would be in question after the boy made it known that he did not want to be in a gang.