Young Thugs

Chettleburgh brings a view and a proposed set of approaches to the issue of young people and gangs that can be described as "outside the box" on an intelligent and forward looking level. Many American readers will be grossly unfamiliar with the many and severe problems facing Canada on the subject of gangs. But the author here is bold in the sense of stating and explaining the importance of combining those often disconnected and conflicted approaches of classic social work, greater citizen involvement including simple grass roots support of places like Boys and Girls Clubs, and innovative, more surgical gang suppression by law enforcement. His thoughts apply equally well to both sides of the 48th parallel. I found myself feeling his addressing of the topics of the death of Jane Creba in Toronto and that of another teen in Ottawa perhaps underrepresented the human sadness and anger felt by the average citizen (across many demographics) about these killings, to a degree, but I concluded from his writing that that was not intentional. The bulk of his focus is in a different place and it seems he chose not to dwell greatly on these tragic loses. This is a book that is contemporary and should be read by everyone from politicians to police detectives and patrol officers to social service providers and those who want to contribute to solutions on their block.