Much more of those violent crimes are committed by gangs over drug turf. Legalize drugs and you will defund the gangs. With no source of income, they will disband.
So legalize drugs and the guys who sell them will suddenly become law-abiding citizens?
Riiiiiiiight.
That's not true. There will always be vices and those gangs that make money on vices will just exploit other vices. I saw an ad on Fox News the other night that they are now smuggling terrorists into the US.
Some kids form and join gangs for protection. A personal example is what I witnessed on the bus Friday. A latino glanced at a black guy's latino girlfriend and the black guy threatened the latino with death...not just a "I'll kill you," but a full blown 10 minute threat of following him home and killing his whole family and all.
I would not blame the latino for joining a gang to protect himself from this lunatic. Then, when this lunatic tries to follow through with his threats, encounters a gang, he forms his own gang.
Whole thing sounds like a bad episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger".