Threat To India Or Economic Need Of China

Threat To India Or Economic Need Of China I have always thought that it is important, even essential, that these two countries of Asia, India and China, should have friendly and, as far as possible co-operative relations. It would be a tragedy, not only for India, and possibly for China, but for Asia and the whole world, if they develop some kind of permanent hostility  [1]   Jawahar Lal Nehru India and China have laid the ghost of the 1962 war to rest, and have turned their faces to the future. Prem Shankar Jha INTRODUCTION For more than 60 years, Pakistan and India and have been arguing and periodically coming to blows over one of the most beautiful places in the world i.e. Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK). India, Pakistan and China are in possession of various parts of Jammu Kashmir. China-Pakistan relations have always been a matter of concern for India, however due to the increased involvement of China in POK the matter has worsened further. With presence of an estimated 11,000 soldiers of the Peoples Liberation Army in POK, one can confidently state about the growing foot-prints of China in POK  [2]  . This prompted views among many Indian military and political leaders and journalists that Islamabad is handing over the de-facto control of the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region of POK to China. Further it is believed that as the years proceed, Pakistan will emerge as an instrument of Chinas force projection into South Asia.  [3]   With this as background, it is imperative to examine and understand Chinas interests and strategy in POK as these developments hold large significance for Indias security interests. INDIA CHINA RELATIONS India and China are two of the oldest civilizations of the world and in spite of the present economic, political and military environment and compulsions, these two countries have a long history of friendly relations. However, since 1913-14 Shimla Conference, the Sino-Indian border as part of the issue of Tibets status has been a matter of dispute in relations between the two countries and has resulted in military conflicts. Presently the renewed tensions between the two countries have been dominating diplomacy with issues like Chinas refusal of visa to a top Indian Army General and aggressive Chinese intrusions across the LAC. Pakistan Chinas strategic equation with Pakistan is another issue which is a hindrance to any meaningful improvement in Indias relations with China. China has been the biggest supplier of military hardware to Pakistan, some of which is made available to Kashmiri militants. The increasing involvement and presence of Chinese soldiers in POK has raised concerns in India. Economic A strategic partnership was announced by China and India in 2005 and both countries have in recent years successfully attempted to reignite diplomatic and economic ties and consequently, the two countries relations have become closer. Presently, China is Indias largest trading partner and has recently changed its stance on Indias bid seat at UNSC. This is viewed as beginning of a maturity period in Sino-Indian relations. CHINAS ECONOMIC GROWTH In 1949, Chinas economic system changed to a communist system and as Chinas contribution in world trade has grown; its importance to the international economy has also increased. China is the worlds second largest economy after the United States by purchasing power parity and is the worlds fastest-growing economy. Unequal Regional Development Deng Xiaoping, orchestrated Chinas reform and opening-up 30 years ago, once said that some areas must get rich before others.  [4]  This was due to the countrys massive scale, the economic development could not happen all at once across China. Planning and implementation of such an economy would take years, even decades and some areas would inevitably be developed before others and thus coastal regions of China were the best place to place to start, due to the natural advantage of access to Asian and overseas markets via the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea.  [5]  The two areas which benefited most from this economic strategy of China were the Yangtze River Delta region in the East and Pearl River Delta region in the South.  [6]   West China the New Economic Story Chinas unequal transportation system, combined with differences in the availability of resources (natural and human) and industrial infrastructure has resulted in large variations in the regional economies of China. Although Chinas coastal regions continue to develop, the initial boom has already slowed.  [7]  Furthermore, foreign investors are beginning to grow weary of the increasing costs of doing business in cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen.  [8]  Therefore, now both domestic and international businesses are looking towards the interior of the country, where overhead costs are lower. Chinas Western region will emerge as the most interesting economic development story of the coming decade. This Western region comprises of 28% of Chinas population and 70% of its landmass and presently it also accounts for 17% of the countrys GDP, but surely this is set to change for the better.  [9]   In 2001, the Chinese government implemented its Western Development Strategy also known as the Go West policy. The plan called for large infrastructure development in urban and rural areas. The main components of the strategy included the development of infrastructure (transport, hydropower plants, energy and telecommunications), enticement of foreign investment, increased efforts on ecological protection (such as reforestation), retention of talent flowing to richer provinces and promotion of education. The Western Development Bureau affiliated to the state, had released a list of 10 major projects in 2008, with a combined budget of 436 billion Yuan which included projects like, new railway lines connecting Guiyang and Guangzhou, Lanzhou and Chongqing, Kashgar and Hotan in Xinjiang; highways between Wanyuan and Dazhou in Sichuan Province, Shuikou and Duyun in Guizhou Province and airport expansion projects in Chengdu, Chongqing and Xian.  [10]  They also include building of hydropower stations, coal mines, gas and oil transmission lines and also public utilities projects in the western region. By the end of 2007, China had started 92 key construction projects in Western region, with a total investment of more than 1.3 trillion Yuan. The Big Western Line, also known as the South-North water transfer project, is another project being planned to be undertaken for diverting water from six rivers in Southwestern China to the dry areas of Northern China through a system of tunnels, reservoirs and rivers. A robust growth is already in place in the West, reaching 11.9% in the last year.   Over the past 10 years, the railway capacity has increased by 160%, Highway capacity by 280% and the energy capacity by 550%.  [11]  Fixed investment of West was 3,600 billion Yuan and per capita gross domestic product rose to 1,933 dollars per year in 2008, which is just 41.9% compared to the per capita GDP of East. In early July 2010, China announced fresh investments to the tune of 100 billion dollars for 23 infrastructure projects to promote rapid and healthy development of western areas.  [12]   CHINAS ECONOMIC SECURITY Chinas spectacular economic growth is largely responsible for its rising energy demands. While energy production in China sharply increased since 1980, consumption exceeded production by the end of the 1990s and the gap between consumption and production is continuing. Chinas natural gas supply is even more limited than oil. The IEA 2006, forecasts that Chinas oil import will increase five folds by 2030 from slightly less than 2 MMBD in 2002 to 10 MMBD, when imports will account for 80% of Chinas total oil needs. Moreover, as in the rest of Asia, China will become heavily dependent on the Persian Gulf (70% of oil by 2015) for future supplies and its oil will increasingly have to transit a series of vulnerable maritime choke points.  [13]  The constant and safe importation of oil has become a crucial issue in Chinas energy sector. SINO- PAK ECONOMIC NEXUS Gwadar Port Pakistan inaugurated its third deep sea port at Gwadar in 2005 and it became operational in 2008. Work for phase II, at estimated cost of US $ 932 million is in progress for building nine additional berths (including two oil terminals with capacity of 2, 00,000 DWT ships). Other then the economic and military advantages to Pakistan it is important to examine Chinas role and strategic interest in this project. It is widely claimed that there is Chinese interest in reaching the blue waters of Arabian Sea.  [14]  This is considered to be a strategic move by Chinese as they funded US $ 198 million (out of the total Phase I cost of US $ 248 million) and also provided 450 engineers onsite. Towards success of Chinas Go West policy, Gwadar provides access to a port at just 1500 km as compared to the Eastern ports at 3000 km for the products produced in Western China. Gwadar is the ideal transit corridor for China to import oil and gas from Iran and the Persian Gulf. It offers an alternative route which is safer and cheaper as compared to the Strait of Malacca, where China faces problems of piracy and is under US sphere of influence. In Oct 2010, Pakistan government also decided to build a connecting gas pipeline from Gwadar to Xinjiang, China.  [15]   Official sources confirm that an understanding has already developed at highest levels between Pakistan and China that the Gwadar port is to be taken from the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) and handed over to the Chinese. The port should have gone to the Chinese, who built it largely from their own investment, in the first place, says Baloch nationalist Rauf Khan Sasoli, who accuses former President Pervez Musharraf of giving it to the PSA to please his American masters.  [16]  This will result in not only transfer of power at the Gwadar port but will also allow Chinese to build Gwadar as tax-free industrial center, including oil and gas refineries and a network of roads and railways from Gwadar to China through the ancient silk route. An ambitious deal to build railways along the Khunjrab pass has already been signed between Pakistan.  [17]   There is another thought to this project where Gwadar is considered as the Naval base for the Chinese as part of its String of Pearls strategy and providing defence to its oil movement as part of energy security. However, China had always denied that Gwadar will be used by Chinese military. Pakistan occupied Kashmir The geopolitics amongst China, Pakistan and India has been under the influence of development in POK. The building of the Karakorum Highway proved to be a turning point and was instrumental in strengthening the Sino-Pakistan strategic relations. The Karakorum highway was constructed by Chinese engineers and was completed in 1986. It connects Chinas region of Xinjiang with Gilgit-Baltistan. China and Pakistan had signed a deal in 2006 to widen the Karakoram highway by almost 20 meters wherein China had promised US$ 350 million for the project and once the project is completed, the transport capacity of the strategically significant region will increase significantly which will facilitate Chinas free access to the oil-rich Gulf through the Pakistani port of  Gwadar.  [18]  Thus, it may be visualized that the Gwadar port will be an integral part of Chinas Foreign Trade route in future.   In return for Chinese assistance in the building the highway, Pakistan ceded the Trans-Karakorum Tract to China.  [19]  Since then, it has been a constant source of supply of arms, ammunition and nuclear material to Pakistan from China and other countries like North Korea. Apart from this, goods manufactured in China have crept into Pakistan on a massive scale due to this highway. The Sino-Pak collaboration in hydro-power projects in the POK region including controversial Diamer Bhasha Dam on the Indus River is also a matter of concern for India. During Zardaris visit to China in 2009, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on construction of a hydro-power station at Bunji, in the Astore district of POK, with the agreement to construct the hydro power project (7000 MW) on build, operate and transfer basis, which means that all the investment ($ 6-7 billion) will be made by Chinese entrepreneurs.  [20]  Further, there were agreements for cooperation in fisheries, agriculture, education, dams and investment. China has contributed substantially to the rehabilitation and rebuilding projects in POK after the devastating earthquake of Oct 2005. These investments have helped China strengthen its control over POK. China has also encashed on the deprivation and alienation of people in POK both at political and social level. The Karakorum highway has helped in providing the necessary support during the rebuilding and trading opportunities for people of POK. It has been reported that of an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 soldiers of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army are in POK. Many of the PLA soldiers entering Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to work on the railroad and some are extending the Karakoram Highway, others are working on dams, expressways and other projects. In a way, these developments in POK brings out that, since Pakistan Army is unable to handle multiple conflicts, thus it apparently gave the Chinese army de facto control over Gilgit and Baltistan regions. For China, it is a win-win situation, as it stands to gain unfettered road and rail access to the Middle East through Pakistan.  [21]  The map of karakorum highway is shown below for better appricaition of the situation and its impoartance for Western Chinas economic growth. Karakoram Highway Map Karakorum Highway AN ALTERNATE VIEW TO INDO-CHINA RELATIONS China has finally moved away from Deng Xiaopings principle of hide your strength, bide your time so as to adopt a more proactive role in international affairs. The transformation that China is currently undergoing is clearly visible. Its changes in the socio-political and legal conditions confirm that the regime has changed away from the label of authoritarianism. The course of making decisions and strategy has slowly become decentralised and actors like media, think tanks, academic institutes/ university and voluntary associations and interest groups constitute major linkages between the government, its mechanism and the governed.  [22]   Visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister to China in 1999 marked the resumption of high-level dialogue. The joint declaration signed during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to China in June 2003 stated that China was not a threat to India.  [23]  Special representatives were appointed by the China and India in order to provide thrust to border negotiations. India also acknowledged Chinas sovereignty over Tibet and pledged not to allow anti-China political activities in India. On its part, China had acknowledged Indias 1975 annexation of the former monarchy of Sikkim and later rectified official maps to include Sikkim as part of India.  [24]  India and China are in the second stage of exploring the framework of a final package settlement covering all aspects of the India-China boundary dispute, which will be followed by the final stage of delineation and demarcation of boundary.  [25]   Convergence of Interests India and China have found substantial convergence of interests at the international level wherein they both share similar concerns about the growing international dominance of the US, the threat of terrorism disguised as religious and ethnic movements and the need to accord primacy to economic development. Both nations also favour more democratic international economic regimes.  [26]  They have strongly resisted efforts by the US and other developed nations to link global trade to labour and environmental standards. China and India put forward a joint Sino-Indian position in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International trade negotiations. Chinas Neutrality Towards Indo- Pak Relations There has been a subtle shift in Beijings stance on Pakistan vis-à  -vis India. Chinas neutral position during the Kargil conflict, during Indo-Pak crisis following the terrorist attack on the Indias Parliament and during Mumbai terrorist attack is seen as sincere attempts of Chinas to improve ties. Towards Chinas attempts to project itself as a responsible regional player, it is supporting peace and anti-terrorist efforts in South Asia by cooperating with the India and US. China is also seen to be instrumental in encouraging Pakistan to negotiate with India by using its linfluence over Pakistan. On, 02 Dec 1996, when Jiang Zemin famously advised the Pakistani senators to set aside the Kashmir problem and improve their relationship with India, he thereby decisively distanced China from the Kashmir imbroglio.  [27]   Bilateral Trade As India and China have found a distinct convergence of their interests on world stage, they have used it to strengthen their bilateral relations on social, military and economic front. Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs government had made it clear that it favoured closer ties with China and would continue to work towards improving and strengthening bilateral relations with China. Among the most encouraging developments in India-China ties is the rapid increase in bilateral trade. A few years ago, India Inc had a fear of being swamped by Chinese imports, whereas today, it is estimated that the bilateral trade between the two countries will grow by 20 per cent to reach beyond $60 billion in 2010-11 from the present US $ 50 billion. Political Initiatives Chinese premier Wen Jiabao told Manmohan Singh during the Indian Prime Ministers visit to China in Jan 2008, that there was enough space for China and India and the two leaders resolve to promote building of a harmonious world of durable peace and common prosperity through developing the Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity between the two countries. China and India also cemented a shared vision for the 21st century by agreeing to raise the annual volume of bilateral trade to $ 60 billion by 2010 and to play role in transforming Asia and the World. In 2009, China and India witnessed frequent high-level interactions. Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) summits in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Premier Wen Jiabao interacted with Manmohan Singh at the East Asia Summit in Thailand and the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.  [28]   CHINAS PRESENCE IN PAKISTAN NOT A THREAT TO INDIA China and India know that any conflict would have devastating effect on both countries, because of the nuclear threat and thus the ability to co-operate and solve disputes through diplomacy is in the interest of both countries. India is continuing to improve its relations with China on the convergence of interests that the two nations have achieved in recent years. In respect to Indo-Chinese cooperation it is noted that while they are rivals, they are not enemies and that they knew how to work together with common interests in mind which is exemplified by their burgeoning trade relationship and the potential to work together on a number of key issues, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, global trade and climate change.  [29]   China is presently busy in Xinjiang region trying to calm the Uighur separatist movement, it is trying its best to hold Tibet, the military intervention in Taiwan is now a possibility and war of words with Vietnam has already started. Importantly, Indias relations with China are improving with improved bilateral trade, increased political initiatives and military co-operations. Thus, having studied the Chinese need and strategy for development of its Western region, the importance of Gwadar port and POK for the western region and Chinas energy security concerns, it can be confidently stressed that Chinas presence in Pakistan is not a threat to India but is the economic need of China.

Does Ineffective Leadership Affect the Functioning of an Organization?

Introduction: Leaders are considered an integral resource in an organization and it is often said that the leader’s personality and caliber affect the manner in which an organization is managed and the organization’s overall performance. The main role of leaders is to guide, supervise, and manage the employees of an organization and make integral and critical decisions related to the organization’s operations. Thus, it is highly important for leaders to possess a variety of essential skills. Some of the skills that leaders must possess include problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, quick and efficient decision making, patience and human resource management techniques, amongst other expertise. Leaders hold major responsibility for the way they manage their decisions and the manner in which they guide the employees of an organization. Mistakes or obliviousness to vital information can lead to disastrous affects for organizations or a major loss in revenues (Northouse, 20 12). Accordingly, it is important for leaders to have a proper plan for managing a firm and leaders usually possess a certain leadership style. There are various leadership styles that leaders adopt when managing an organization and these leadership styles include the autocratic leadership style, charismatic leadership style, and situational leadership style amongst many others. Some leaders prefer to deal with an iron hand and are highly autocratic in their leadership style. Such leaders are highly authoritative and prefer to give commands rather than attain the opinion of their subordinates. However, some leaders are highly informal and involved in their leadership role and adopt a charismatic style of leadership. Such leaders prefer to involve their employees in the decision making process, prefer an informal environment, and reduce barriers to communication (Carmelli et al, 2010). However, the appropriate leadership style may vary from organization to organization and from situa tion to situation. It is the leader’s duty to understand the type of leadership necessary for a particular situation and implement it effectively (Brown & Mitchell, 2010). This research paper will seek to explore how ineffective leadership affects the functioning of an organization and whether it has a highly adverse affect upon the organization’s performance. The paper will seek to explore topics such as different management styles, responsibilities of managers/leaders, examples of ineffective leadership, and their consecutive effects on the functioning of the organization. This outline will commence with a brief literature review, formation of research questions, research methodology, and a conclusion. Literature Review: Many scholars believe that ineffective leadership leads to disastrous consequences for an organization. In the same manner, effective leadership can also lead to highly beneficial results for an organization and its employees. There are various examp les of highly successful leaders who have brought their organization’s numerous benefits such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and many others. These leaders were able to effectively make decisions in times of crisis, keep their workforce motivated and efficient, and form effective marketing strategies for the promotion of their organization (Hind et al, 2009). Leaders often possess certain leadership styles and it is regarded that ineffective leadership occurs because of the adoption of the inappropriate leadership style. Thus, leaders who adopt the wrong leadership style or who possess a personality which is not able to adapt to certain situations are likely to cause severe disruptions or inefficiency in the functioning of their organization. Leaders who adopt inappropriate leadership styles or who are ineffective leaders may cause problems such as increasing communication barriers, disrupt the proper dissemination of information, be oblivious to vital information concerning the organization, and lead to the de-motivation of employees. Examples are found in organizations where leaders are highly authoritative, consider their opinion to be correct, and remain distant from subordinates and employees and consequently, employees are unable to disseminate vital information to the leader and fail to help the leader make better decisions (King, 2013). However, there are also examples of organizations where the authoritative nature of leaders is working for the organization’s benefit rather than causing the organization losses. Hence, it is obvious that the leadership style that must be adopted by a leader must vary according to the organization’s situation and the manner in which the leader implements and conveys his/her message (Becker, 2009). This concept and other concepts related to the effects of ineffective leadership on the organization will be analyzed in this research paper. Research Questions: Does ineffective leadership affect the functioning of an organization? What leadership styles are appropriate for various organizational situations? How can ineffective leadership be defined and what are its consequences? Research Data: The research data that will be used will be both primary and secondary in nature. The data and information that will be gathered will be qualitative in nature and will be of exploratory in order to explore the topic in depth. Data Sources: Primary data will be gathered from the interview while secondary data will be obtained from journal articles, books, online sources, online databases, websites, newspapers, and other academic sources of information Data Collection Method: After obtaining permission from a specific organization (yet to be chosen), the manager or leader of that organization will be interviewed. Other information for the study will be derived from secondary sources for which library access and access to online databases is essential. D ata Analysis Method: As the data is qualitative in nature, the data gathered through secondary sources and the data gathered from the interview will be analyzed through the method of content analysis. The content of the literature reviewed will be compared to the content of the interview and then will be analyzed for relevancy a the key points are extracted from both sources to conduct the analysis Conclusion: Leadership is one of the most important topics in the study of management and through the analysis of the data obtained, this research paper aims to recognize, analyze, and evaluate the effects of ineffective leadership on an organization. References Becker, G. (2009) â€Å"Moral leadership in Business.† Journal of International Business Ethics. Vol. 2:1 pp. 7-19 Brown, M. & Mitchell, M. (2010) â€Å"Ethical and Unethical Leadership: Exploring New Avenues for Future Research. Business Ethics Quarterly. Vol. 20:4 pp. 583-616 Carmeli, A., Gelbard, R. & Gefen, D. (2010) â€Å"The importance of innovation leadership in cultivating strategic fit and enhancing firm performance†. The Leadership Quarterly. Vol. 21:3 pp. 339-349 Hind, P., Wilson, A., & Lenssen, G. (2009) â€Å"Developing Leaders for Sustainable Business.† Corporate Governance. Vol. 9:1 pp.7-20 King, C. (2013) â€Å"The Importance of Leadership and Management in Process Safety†. Process Safety Progress. Northouse, PG. (2012) Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications.

Chemical Bonds in Compounds Quiz

Gang Awareness and Goals Toward Gang Suppression - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1189 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/04/12 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Gang Violence Essay Did you like this example? Gang Awareness and Goals Toward Gang Suppression Usually when the topic of gangs arises, the discussion includes the fact that these groups are problematic and a danger to society. While this is true, there is a shift toward understanding gangs on a deeper level, and develop ways to intervene and suppress gang activity. Given the opportunity to speak with a probation officer, I was able to obtain a better understanding of gangs and the surrounding community. A few key points I took from my interview were gangs can be more complex and are run with great intelligence, and those who are in gangs can come from many different backgrounds. Once the importance of understanding gang culture becomes established, communities can come together to implement programs and strategies to start diminishing the gang violence that surrounds them. I decided to focus my interview on my criminal justice practitioners background in relation to gangs, his knowledge on gangs, and ways community involvement help to diminish gang activity. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Gang Awareness and Goals Toward Gang Suppression" essay for you Create order Probation Officer Background In order to get a better understanding of gangs, I contacted Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction Probation Officer Steven Davis for an interview. I wanted to get a better understanding of his background and his experience with gangs. Officer Davis is from Harvey, Illinois, moved to Minnesota to attend Concordia college, and interned with Hennepin County adult probation. This is where he decided to take a turn toward juvenile probation. Davis stated, There is a lot of gray areas when it comes to determining what is best for juveniles versus adults. With adults, it is either you go to jail or prison. When it comes to juveniles, especially the ones with the Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction, there is a sentence hanging over their heads. But this encourages more low risk behaviors since this will follow them until they are twenty-one years old. I circled back to where Officer Davis grew up and his experience with gangs in Illinois. He told me he had a few friends that were in gangs, which quickly led Davis to separate himself from those friends. I asked him how he was able to overcome the peer pressure from his friends to join gangs, and he told me he had outlets such as sports, and he did not want to disappoint his mom. This answer made me think back to Thrashers theory on the risks for gang involvement. Unlike Davis, a lot of juveniles come from poor environments and have inadequate forms of recreation, which lead them to make poor decisions and enter gangs in order to receive the love, attention, and validation they were lacking. Gang Knowledge and Awareness Officer Daviss unit is focused in North Minneapolis, which is notorious for gang activity. I asked Officer Davis what he would rank himself on familiarity with gangs or knowledge on gangs on a scale from one to ten. He rated himself a six, which is when he gave me a map of the general location of gangs in North Minneapolis and explained the rivalries were separated by Broadway. He also mentioned the term clique based gangs, which we talked about these hybrid gangs in class and other readings.In the Hybrid Gangs and Other Modern Gangs article, Starbuck states, there are youth gangs that do not fit the mold of any particular gang category(2001, p.5). The youth that are in these gangs do not follow the traditional codes and ethics of the mother gangs they may have originated from. Examples of this would be that members may change affiliations or change the colors that they wear and display. These kinds of things would not happen if they were in a mother gang. I then asked whether he was aware of how many of his clients were affiliated with gangs, and he stated that around 70% had some gang affiliation. About half of my clients are open about their gang activity, but there is also an agreement they need to follow where they cannot have any contact with fellow gang members(S. Davis. personal communication, September 27, 2018.). It is fairly easy for Officer Davis and other probation officers in his unit to find gang affiliation through social media accounts and postings. I mentioned one of my articles, and how youth in particular use E-thuggin, or using social media accounts to get a rise out of rival gangs and demand retaliation from these gang members. Officer Davis said that it is important to be aware of this, especially since gang violence is being broadcasting to a wide range of people, and where any of us can see what violence may take place in result of a threatening post. Community Involvement and Gang Suppression Officer Davis cou ld not stress enough how important community involvement is when it comes to fighting to eliminate gang activity. I asked Davis if members and parents of the community have come to his department about gang related issues and if there are any programs that were developed to help reduce gang violence. First, he told me about the Gang Violence Intervention program, which was developed in order to be a deterrent. GVI partners gang members with police officers and adults that used to be gang members in order to have them discuss problems theyre having, for which the ex-gang members and officers persuade the youth gang members to end their involvement in gangs and there are outlets there for them. The initiative is very new and is still making many changes. Also, Officer Davis spoke highly about MADDADS, which is Men Against Destruction, Defending Against Drugs and Social Disorder. This group was founded in 1989 by a group of concerned African-American men and parents who were tired of the gang violence and illegal flow of drugs in their communities. Activities that this group implemented are designed to promote a positive image of fathers protecting their communities and the members in it. This form of community involvement is especially effective because of previous gang members that are compelled to talk to these youth and give them advice on how to separate themselves from gang life. In the Gang suppression article, Ron Chance stated, Activities such as gang surveillance and crisis intervention by probation should be coordinated with similar activities by criminal justice and community-based youth agencies (1994, p.5). Chance also reiterates the purpose of activities that are community based that keep youth accountable while also providing an outlet that will deter them from gang activity. To conclude, community involvement will make all the difference when it comes to getting youth involved in programs that will benefit them, and encourage them to make a change because they know the community is there for them. Conclusion In summation, my interview allowed me to understand a criminal justice practitioners perspective on gang activity in their community and how there are ways to intervene and suppress gang activity. Officer Davis was able to give me information about his own clients and different ways his department and the community are trying respond to the gang problems. The community and departments come together to find effective methods and programs to intervene in gang activity and make their neighborhoods safer.