Why would anyone ask Los Angeles for help with gangs ?

I was more than a little taken aback when I read that Britain asked the Mayors of Boston, New York, and Los Angeles for advice on dealing with it's er, ah gang problem. Exactly what could they learn from us that would be helpful ? We are the gang capital of the world. Los Angles boasts 400 plus gangs, and areas around Compton and South Central have a higher causality rate than Afghanistan or Iraq.

Read more here : UK government says must tackle social problems after riots

Philadelphia is progressing to more modern forms of terror with a new fad called flash mobs where gangs of angry youths message each other to arrange a meeting place, then converge on the area to attack people, loot and destroy property, cool huh ?

The mayor of Philadlephia Michael A. Nutter is talking tough and has threathened to get tough on gangs. He has gone so far as to tell them to "take them goddamn hoodies down", impose a 9 pm weekend curfew. I'll bet that has them shaking in their boots. Even the ACLU has agreed to these drastic draconian measures, as long as police do not "harass" kids on the streets. Yes, please don't harass these poor kids.

Read more here : Philadelphia Mayor talks tough to black teenagers after "flash mobs"

I grew up in Philly, I have lived many years in Los Angeles. I would only seek their advice about gangs if I wished to increase my gang problem, not cure it. My kids go to school overseas so they can get an education, and not a social indoctrination in Political Correctness, and an introduction to gangs, drugs, and violence before they learn their ABC's.

The way things are going in Europe and America, I would say that seeking each others advice on such matters could only exasperate the problems, It might be time for some new ideas, and different approaches, the babying, coddling, and labeling criminals as victims and victims as criminals isn't working.

Luckily not everyone agrees with using the U.S as gang consultants - also see : Britain's top cop has slamed the UK role for using US crime guru.