Tagged: gang violence

A state-funded program to boost youth violence prevention efforts in Massachusetts is at risk of losing all funding after only a handful of years after its initial creation.

A group of concerned citizens is organizing an event this week to address the subject of reducing violent crime in Berkshire County.

The group called Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice this week is organizing a meeting involving area residents, professionals, and public safety officials to discuss a wide variety of topics related to school and community violence.

The man in charge of Vermont's prison system says there's been an increase in violence behind bars in the state, and that much of it appears tied to gang activity.

Andrew Pallito told lawmakers on Thursday that many of those engaged in violent gang activity are people who come from out of state and get misdemeanor drug convictions while in Vermont.

He says many such people had been housed under contract with the Franklin County Jail and House of Detention in Massachusetts, but that contract recently expired.

WAMC'S Brian Shields speaks with NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman about the arrest of 52 people in and around Albany on gang-related drug activity and violence.