Spanking, is considered abuse because I know of parents who's kids have called the cops on their parents because they've gotten a simple spanking, and before anyone comments, it was on the behind, nothing harsh. The parents were told it was abuse. Now how are the parents supposed to discipline their kids and yet help them understand anything. Tell them to stand in the corner, sit on a chair for "time out". Oh boy, now I'm scared, a time out is going to help them understand that running out in the road and getting hit by a car is a danger to them. I'm sorry, but if my kid would go out to steal something, or beat the heck out of another kid, is a time out going to help them understand how wrong this is? Of if they pull out a knife and threaten the life of another child, is a stand int he corner or being sent to their room going to teach them a thing? I dont think so. How is a parent going to help their child when they are restricted by the law from doing a dang thing to help them understand what is right and what is wrong? They do anything to discipline their child (and no I'm not talking abuse here, I'm talking about the type of discipline I got when I was a child that taught me that 7 letter word that the majority of kids don't even know the meaning of now a days, R-E-S-P-E-C-T) to help them grow and understand what respect is and keep them out of gangs. It's LOVE and RESPECT they need to learn. If parents weren't so busy trying to keep food on the table, having to take two jobs because of the economy, and had the time to stay home with their kids, especially in one parent families (no Im not insulting them at all, don't get me wrong, sometimes it's necessary), and things were affordable, and there was more RESPECT towards parents, kids, and one another, maybe then gangs wouldn't be around!

Spanky said "They make laws saying that spanking is abuse." I am not sure who "they" are, but spanking is legal in the majority of states, including Wisconsin. Spanky's assertion that spanking is considered abuse is often used by parents, usually as an excuse to let their children go without discipline and pass the responsibilty on to someone else.
Anyone who thinks that its illegal to spank your kids needs to read state statute 939.45: Privilege. The fact that the actor’s conduct is privileged,
although otherwise criminal, is a defense to prosecution for
any crime based on that conduct. The defense of privilege can be
claimed under any of the following circumstances:
(1) When the actor’s conduct occurs under circumstances of
coercion or necessity so as to be privileged under s. 939.46 or
939.47; or
(2) When the actor’s conduct is in defense of persons or property
under any of the circumstances described in s. 939.48 or
939.49; or
(3) When the actor’s conduct is in good faith and is an apparently
authorized and reasonable fulfillment of any duties of a public
office; or
(4) When the actor’s conduct is a reasonable accomplishment
of a lawful arrest; or
(5) (a) In this subsection:
1. “Child” has the meaning specified in s. 948.01 (1).
3. “Person responsible for the child’s welfare” includes the
child’s parent, stepparent or guardian; an employee of a public or
private residential home, institution or agency in which the child
resides or is confined or that provides services to the child; or any
other person legally responsible for the child’s welfare in a residential
setting.
(b) When the actor’s conduct is reasonable discipline of a child
by a person responsible for the child’s welfare. Reasonable discipline
may involve only such force as a reasonable person believes
is necessary. It is never reasonable discipline to use force which
is intended to cause great bodily harm or death or creates an unreasonable
risk of great bodily harm or death.
(6) When for any other reason the actor’s conduct is privileged
by the statutory or common law of this state.

We as a society have looked at parenting and figured out that maybe government should show us how to parent. They make laws saying that spanking is abuse. Even words that are said in an argument are considered abuse. I believe a child should be punished at home if they do something wrong. If the incident is a serious one and the parent needs to spank the child then the should be allowed that right as a parent. The timeout punishment may work for some but, some kids just need a different type of disipline.

Dumb question. Responsibility lies with parents. By definition, it is called parenting. Those who do it well stand a better chance of raising well adjusted, socially responsible children who assimulate into our society. Those who do not may discover that their children succumb to peer pressure, seek acceptance and socialization from "the gang". The surrogate parents are gang leaders.
*
I have done my part, and thank goodness that most of you have done a good job of raising your children. Some parents cannot or will not succeed with the difficult task of raising kids. Thus, we count on the police to respond to the anti-social and illegal activities of their failures.

My vote went with the police. I hate to say it but the community cannot count on the parents to discourage gang activity. I am sure that a few of these parents are or were gang members themselves and don't care that their children are gang members. I was a "gang member" when I was younger. My parents had no idea until one of my friends was put into a coma and the police started coming around my house to investigate. I feel that the police should be the ones that lead the fight against gangs. It may not be totally fair that the responsiblity falls on the police but the schools dont have the resources to lead the fight, parents don't have the knowledge and the "others" don't have the dedication.

As a parent of children in high school,and one succesfully graduated and in the work force, I speak with my kids about this crap anytime I see it in the paper! They know I want to see these little hoodlums get the cane. I know that some people will say that is to violent but, it is effective! These kids dont understand the meaning of corporal punishment because it cant exist in todays politically correct world. Those of us old enough to remember corporal punishment know it works. I want to see the cane and would not flinch one bit if it were my child. They know now, when you mess with the bull, you get the horn. With my wifes guidance and mine, they have not had to have the horn or the cane. And by the way, they are 24-18-and 17 years old.

I think everyone in the community is responsible for keeping our community safe. It DOES take a village, people...and no, not THE village people...(I can already see the comments I will get.)

This is a tough one I believe that it should start with good parenting. I believe if a child feels loved and wanted they do not feel the need to look for gangs. However I Believe if we took on a zero tolerance it would lower the activity. I see on tv and in the paper these kids beating each other because they bump each other in the hallways at school and they are from differnt gangs. (OMG) Take these kids and lock them up show them that it is the parents that will stand by them not the gangs.
If their actions had consequences that actually stuck and they had to pay for them I think kids would smarten up and realize gangs are for those that never want to amount to anything.

Keeping tabs on your kid until he or she is 25 is a really good way to get your kids to alienate themselves from you. Guidance can be alright, but if my parents tried that, I would probably stop calling them.

It all starts at home if the child grows up in a family environment that shows love and caring for the child. If the family shows respect to the child and is willing to listen to the child then that child would not have to look to gangs for acceptance. It's to bad that society is so hell bent on the all mighty dollar. You never saw this when there was a parent at home raising the kids in a two parent home. The homes are broken and men having no responsibility for their children. It's just a dam shame.

" parents should be held in account till a child is 25 years old"

I would expect an adult to be a productive member of society at lest by the time my kids are 20. I sure don't plan on keeping tabs on everyperson they interact with once they leave my house. Any parent that keeps that tight a leash on there adult kids is asking for kids who will never be able to function as adults in relationships, jobs, or society.
And if you feel you need to then you didn't do a good job setting the values before they were teen agers.

I said parents. Then, as I was discussing the poll with my 25 year old daughter, she opened my eyes on something.

Why are we assuming that gang members are minors and therefore under their parents rule? I am guessing that many gang members become members as minors but not all. Regardless, they come in all ages and after 18, the parents "rule" is done. Although, hopefully, parents will have installed a value system in their children that will keep them from the gangs. But, even that doesn't mean that children raised right will not make bad choices.

So, I am going to revise my vote. If the member is a minor, it is the parents responsibility. If they are the age of majority....I guess it is up to the police to combat it.

As far as schools, the only responsibility I see there is to do whatever they can to keep it out of the schools. I believe Janesville does a pretty good job. Although, I have sometimes seen small displays of "colors" or whatnot when picking up the kids after school. I only know this because my children informed me that that group is this or that gang affiliation when I have asked questions about things that look a little odd.(All the kids wearing a certain color or displaying different "hand" signs) I had thought they were just a bunch of "wannabe's" as I really didn't believe Janesville had real gangs. I have come to learn I was wrong and these groups are growing daily.

So, overall, this like so many problems we face as a community needs the involvement of the community to combat it.

Of course everything in a child's life begins at home with parents. But again it needs to be a combination of parents, schools, and police. There are too many outside influences and children can be sucked in whether or not they have a strong parental guidance system in place or not. Kids will act differently at home than they do at school or in public. I would expect that if my child were doing something inappropriate at school that the school would be involved in and reporting such behavior not only to me but to the police if necessary. The foundation starts at home, however, society affects EVERYONE. Not all parents are lazy.

Our culture glorifies self-indulgence. It praises sexual gratification. It extols the virtue of single parenthood. And it encourages youngsters to make their own decisions while disparaging authority in general and parents in particular. Some parents are too busy living their own lives to be bothered with monitoring their children. Those kids look to each other for the emotional support denied them by their families. Opportunistic streetwise thugs take advantage of those youngsters and turn them into committed gangsters. The long term solution is to reject the popular culture and return to a culture that advances values such as self-sacrifice, delayed gratification and living life for the benefit of others.

One thing you have to remember, not all gang members are kids. Some of the leaders are "adults," so it would be the police, some I'm sure made it through school just fine, but turned to gangs later in life. I am not sure there is an answer to this one

Let's face it the kids who are in gangs have no parental guidance. Who knows if the parents are able to even guide them in the proper direction. Everyone needs to be involved in taking care of this problem.

Gangs are a comunity Problem. It can effect everyone so it is everyones responsibility.
I cant beleve Im quoting Hillary but "It takes a Village"

The government!

I think janesgirl is correct. All of the above should apply.

Parents have become VERY lazy. THat is why these kids seek "family" somewhere else.

I do agree that parents do the most guiding in their children's lives (whether the parents like it or not) and therefor they sow the deepest seeds which have high potential. I selected other, though. By the age that most kids turn rebellious, it's too late for the parents, schools, or police to do anything. Kids of that age just want to, "stick it to the man."
Most of these kids have friends before they get into gangs. If they don't have friends first, they probably won't get into a gang anyways. Often times, not all of a future gang member's friends end up in a gang, and it is those good apples who have the highest potential of stopping gang activity from happening. Parents can and should plant the seeds early, but a 12 year old boy doesn't care what authority figure you are, just that you are an authority figure and he will rebel against you.

The question should be who SHOULD bear the greatest responsibility for combating gang activity.
The way it's asked now, yeah police, schools, everyone except the parents, get the burden and blame for it all.
It should never come down to others being responsible for your children's choices.

It has to be a combination of all three...no one entity has the GREATEST responsibility.

I think it's a combination of "all of the above."

Parents, please do your job responsibly ... before it becomes someone else's job.

Can you believe it? I guess the police (at the time 42% voted) are responsible for raising our children. Most young peoples actions are the results of their raising. Parents can make the biggest impact on young peoples lives, not police. Root cause is not the police departments control, good parenting is.