JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The founder of the world’s largest gang intervention and rehab program made a stop this week in Jacksonville.
Pastor Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries in California, and gang intervention and prevention is something he is passionate about. Now, his methods could help with the local gang problem.
Boyle stopped Thursday in Duval County to speak with local law enforcement, attorneys and community members about the importance of getting to the root of what is causing gang violence.
“The homies at Homeboys always talk about find the thorn underneath. If you can find that, that’s why it’s about healing, not about quieting and silencing bullets,” Boyle said. “It’s about violence as language, so what language is it speaking. You want to be helpful in that source that you do things that are actually helpful.”
Isaac Gonzales, with Homebody Industries, spoke about growing up in a gang in Los Angeles.
“My two older brothers, they were recruited to a local gang and they were real busy in the neighborhood. Both were facing life sentences. Me, the baby brother, had to grow up really fast,” Gonzales said. “I learned one of the most painful lessons while I was in prison. My older brother, Steven, was murdered in my neighborhood. That opened up my eyes to a lot.”
Similarly, Jacksonville has violent gangs that involve multiple family members.
“If you are doing intervention and helping re-entry and alternatives to incarceration, then in fact you’re helping their children,” Boyle said. “So that’s how you break the cycle.”
Some of the most violent gangs in Jacksonville involve rappers, who discuss specific details about the crimes in their music videos. Those videos gain millions of views that the rappers ultimately profit off of.
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“The social media is a huge problem right now. They’re both threatening violence and celebrating the violence they commit through these drill rap videos,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson. “And, yes, it has in my mind added a complicated light there to gain dynamics in our city and all over the country that 10 years ago we didn’t’ have.”
Boyle said ensuring those are safe, seen and cherished can help detour gang violence.
Nelson said her office wants help prevent someone from reoffending once they leave prison. She said they have access to several resources in the community to help people who are involved in gangs. Those wanting to learn more can reach out to the State Attorney’s Office.