xMarch 27th, 1991. Geraldo Rivera’s namesake talk show hosts law enforcement, founder of the Blackstone Rangers and more as we wonder if the laws have worked.
“With the availability of automatic weapons ….and the availability of cocaine which you have so eloquently stated, fuse….”
Sam Grennan, a criminal justice professor who spent 20 years on the force, say he has seen the situation with gang violence get worse in New York City especially. The small criminal groups of yesterday are gone and now the streets are filled with organized gangs, mostly based on ethnic lines. T. Rogers, a founder of the Chicago gang ‘Blackstone Rangers’ reminds us that not all gang members are drug dealers and not all drug dealers are gang members. What has made the situation worse is the prevalence of automatic weapons and drugs. We hear from a gang member in the audience on how easy it is to get, say, an uzi.
The conversation moves to James Galipeau an LA probation officer gives the perspective fo the probation department. He claims rehabilitative approach, trying to integrate gang members back into productive roles, has given way to an urge to lock ’em up, both from the public and law enforcement.
The segment moves to gang members in both New York and Los Angeles with correspondents Krista Bradford and Alexander Johnson as they interview the groups. An audience member wonders how these people can commit crimes and brag about, somehow not get sent to prison.
Gang violence continues into 2026.
This day, Geraldo’s television history.