LA Mission College Gets At-Risk Youth Back On Track

'Deep Inside, The Gang Life, The Prison Life, Wasn't For Me'
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For Javier Franco, it's a long way from Columbus Street to precalculus at L.A. Mission College.

A member of the notorious Columbus Street Gang, which just received an injunction because of street crimes including drug dealing and murder, the 27-year-old Panorama City student had served long stints in Folsom State Prison.

Then he found moral guidance from a former prizefighter at Communities in Schools in North Hills, a welding job through an apprenticeship at Laborers' Local 300 -- and hope at the Sylmar community college that he could someday succeed.

"Deep inside, the gang life, the prison life, wasn't for me," declared Franco, gazing out over the school that sent its soccer forward over many remedial math hurdles. "I always wanted much more. I wanted to be somebody."

The northeast San Fernando Valley community college has long been a leader in reaching out to so-called at-risk youth by offering college-level courses to kids at local juvenile halls.

But now the growing campus, tucked up against the San Gabriel Mountains, is ramping up its community outreach, from a new effort to coax gang members such as Franco into the ivory tower to a new campaign beckoning adults locked up in county jails to take courses in the likes of social ethics and media arts.

And at the center of it all is a college president with a special affection for screwed-up kids and adults.

"I grew up in a community in East Los Angeles (and) had friends who went the wrong way," said Monte E. Perez, who has headed L.A. Mission since May 2011. "They were either in gangs or didn't finish school. They needed an opportunity to find themselves, to get a second chance, to re-create themselves to the human beings that they are.

"I feel an empathy for that population."

For nearly two decades, L.A. Mission College has worked with the Los Angeles County Office of Education to teach college-credit courses at juvenile halls in Malibu, Santa Clarita and Sylmar. Three of four students pass.

Chefs from the school's Culinary Arts Institute teach incarcerated girls at the county's Road to Success Academy at Camp Joseph Scott in Santa Clarita everything from how to keep a kitchen clean and slice and dice an onion to the best way to bake focaccia and whip up a French souffle.

"The interactive 'hands-on' culinary aspect allows students to have real experience in preparation techniques, methods of cookery, along with developing skills and confidence," said Louis Zandalasini, the institute's head chef and chair of professional studies, in an email about the college-credit courses.

This fall, the college went one step further by partnering with a gang intervention agency that has long directed at-risk kids to better jobs through union apprenticeship construction programs.

Communities in Schools of the San Fernando Valley and Greater Los Angeles soon aims to funnel 100 young adults into training programs run by Laborers' Local 300 and Southern California Laborers Apprenticeship.

The unions then aim to shuttle graduates into hundreds of Los Angeles Community College District building-program jobs, from pouring concrete foundations to welding structural beams and stairways.

At the same time, college counselors and teachers will be providing personal-development classes, as well as career, technical education and training.

This spring, the college is reaching out to county inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic with a class in social ethics and a media-arts course -- in conjunction with Hollywood Impact Studios -- that covers sound editing, set construction and other entertainment industry skills.

"I think what they're doing is wonderful," said Steve Springer, spokesman for the L.A. Community College District. "While they are as dedicated to student success as any of our (nine) colleges in Los Angeles, they have also not lost sight of the needs of the greater community as well."

"We're not just about (university) transfers," Perez said during a recent meeting with social service and labor leaders. "We're about workforce. We're about jobs. And that includes at-risk youth. If they can get jobs, they'll be able to reduce violence."

William "Blinky" Rodriguez, executive director of Communities in Schools, knows something about violence. The former world-class kickboxer has worked since the 1970s to stem gang activity. Two decades ago, his 16-year-old son was killed in a drive-by shooting.

"We've been in this community our whole lives," Rodriguez said. "So we're picking individual kids who want change, who want to reduce violence in this community."

"I want to challenge these young people to enter our program, then enter Mission College" said Javier Nunez, president of Laborers' Local 300. "We don't want to see (just) laborers. We want to see superintendents and people in managerial positions."

Franco hopes to be one of those managers. He grew up hard, the son of immigrants who moved to the northeast Valley. Before long, he was in a tagging crew. Then he was challenged by the Columbus Street Gang. Franco recalls their message as either join us "or it's on -- we'll be enemies."

He joined, he said, and was soon living the high life, earning $1,000 a day selling crack. By the time he hit 18, however, he'd joined the lowlifes, serving time in Folsom for drug sales.

It was during his time in prison that Franco grew disgusted. But while locked up, he learned to weld. And when he got out, he met Rodriguez, who talked to him about the possibilities of a better life. He served a union apprenticeship, became a journeyman and landed $26-an-hour union jobs across Los Angeles.

For the past two years, Franco has been studying and playing soccer at L.A. Mission College, while moving toward his dream of becoming a structural engineer.

Now awash in the career's requisite advanced math, he hopes to transfer to a university and play soccer. And someday, he'd like to wear a tie at a construction site.

"I'm excited about the change," said Franco, his almond-shaped hazel eyes glittering above upper arms slathered with tattoos of buxom babes. "It's hard to be in prison, then leave and be a member of society, because you don't have the social skills.

"My ultimate goal is to have a happy home, to have a family. I want to change my bloodline. I want my kids to go to college. I want them to be successful.

"I don't want them to go through what I went through."

(c)2013 the Daily News (Los Angeles)

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States With The Most Gun Violence: 24/7 Wall Street
10. Arkansas(01 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 4.53 (10th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 100.56 (3rd highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 480.9 (10th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Mike Beebe (D)Between 2001 and 2010, there were an average of 15.32 total firearm deaths per year — including homicides, suicides and accidents — in Arkansas for every 100,000 residents, the ninth highest of all states. Moreover, the state was one of just three to have more than 100 firearm-related aggravated assaults for every 100,000 residents in 2011. The state’s largest metropolitan area, Little Rock, had the seventh highest violent crime rate of all metropolitan areas. The state’s crime problem was broader than gun use. There were 3,754 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2011, higher than any state except for South Carolina. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence awarded the state an F for its gun control laws.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:AP)
9. Georgia(02 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 4.57 (9th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 58.64 (13th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 373.2 (21st highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Nathan Deal (R)In 2010, there were 4.57 firearm homicides for every 100,000 Georgia residents, the ninth highest rate of all states. Between 2001 and 2010, 1.78 women were killed by gun violence annually for every 100,000 residents, more than all but four other states.The state has very permissive gun laws. In 2011, the state scored just an 8 out of 100 in the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s scorecard. According to the Center for American Progress, the state’s poor guns laws allow for a high level of illegal gun exporting. There were 28.3 guns used in a crime exported from the state for every 100,000 residents, the 10th highest of all states. Meanwhile, 27.6% of crime guns were purchased in the past two years, the seventh highest of all states.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Getty Images)
8. Missouri(03 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 5.59 (4th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 88.90 (5th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 447.4 (12th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Jay Nixon (D)There were 5.6 homicide deaths by firearms for every 100,000 Missouri residents in 2010, more than all but three other states. There were also 88.9 aggravated assaults with a firearm per 100,000 residents that year, more than all but four other states. Nearly 76% of murders in 2011 were committed with a firearm, higher than all but two other states. The Republican-dominated legislature has spent more time focusing on expanding gun rights rather than curbing them. One Missouri lawmaker, Rep. Mike Leara, recently introduced a bill that would make it a felony for anyone to propose legislation that “further restricts the right of an individual to bear arms, as set forth under the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States.”Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
7. New Mexico(04 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 3.69 (18th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 87.26 (6th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 567.5 (4th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Susana Martinez (R)Gun safety is a particular problem among children in New Mexico. Between 2001 and 2010, 3.12 children per 100,000 residents were killed annually by a firearm, higher than all but three other states. Moreover, there were more than 87 aggravated assaults with a firearm for every 100,000 residents, the sixth highest rate of all states. The state’s largest metropolitan area, Albuquerque, had one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation, with 662 violent crimes for every 100,000 people. New Mexico received an F from The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence for its gun control and safety laws. However, unlike most states on this list, New Mexico legislators may be moving toward imposing tighter gun restrictions. In February, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill to tighten background checks at gun shows, although the Senate did not vote on the measure by the end of the legislative session.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
6. South Carolina(05 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 4.95 (7th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 127.88 (2nd highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 571.9 (3rd highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Nikki R. Haley (R)Between 2001 and 2010, nearly two women per every 100,000 residents were killed in a gun homicide in South Carolina, more than all but three other states. In 2011, there were 128 aggravated assaults with a firearm for every 100,000 residents, a higher rate than all states except for Tennessee. That year, South Carolina had 571.9 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents, higher than all but two other states. This included 6.8 murders and 438.4 aggravated assaults, the third and fourth highest rates in the United States, respectively. The state scored a D– from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence for its gun control and safety laws. According to the Center for American Progress, the state’s weak gun laws result in the state having one of the highest rates of illegal gun trafficking.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
5. Mississippi(06 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 6.91 (2nd highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 51.69 (19th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 269.8 (18th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Phil Bryant (R)Mississippi scores at or near the bottom of all states in several criteria used to measure gun violence. In 2009, more than 50 guns were exported from Mississippi for every 100,000 residents and were used in a violent crime in other states, more than any other state and more than three times the average among all states. There were 6.91 firearm homicides per 100,000 residents in 2010, higher than all states except for Louisiana. In addition, there was an annual average of 2.5 homicides of women involving a firearm, also more than all states except for Louisiana. The state scored an F from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence for failing to require a background check when guns are transferred between private parties, or to regulate gun dealers effectively.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
4. Arizona(07 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 4.24 (13th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 57.36 (16th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 405.9 (19th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Jan Brewer (R)Arizona ranked in the top 10 states for firearm deaths between 2001 and 2010, along with homicide deaths of women and deaths of children 17 and under in those years. In addition, 30% of guns used in a crime within the state were sold less than two years before the crime was committed, indicating a high likelihood of illegal gun trafficking. This was a higher percentage than all states except for Missouri. In March, Guns & Ammo magazine ranked the state as “The Best State for Gun Owners,” noting the state is one of just a few that do not require a license to carry a concealed firearm. Also, concealed carriers are not required to notify law enforcement of their weapon except during “lawful traffic or criminal investigation, arrest or detention or an investigatory stop by a law enforcement officer.”Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
3. Alabama (08 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 5.92 (3rd highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 40.50 (23rd highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 420.1 (16th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Robert Bentley (R)In Alabama, there were 16.36 deaths due to firearms in 2010 for every 100,000 residents, more than all but three other states. That year, there were 5.92 firearm homicides for every 100,000 people, higher than all but two other states. The state also ranked within the top 10 for homicides of women with a firearm, firearm deaths of children and law enforcement killings, all within a 10-year time frame. Recently, the Alabama Senate voted to ease gun restrictions. The legislation, if signed into law, would allow residents to keep guns locked inside their vehicles at work without fear of pushback by their employer. The legislation also would allow people to carry a visible pistol without being charged with disorderly conduct.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
2. Alaska(09 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 4.22 (14th highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 80.47 (9th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 606.5 (2nd highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Sean Parnell (R)In 2010, there were more than 20 gun deaths for every 100,000 residents in Alaska, more than any other state in the country. That year, the state had more 15 suicide deaths with a firearm per 100,000 residents, also more than any other state in the country. Between 2001 and 2010, there were nearly six firearm deaths among children 17 years old or younger per 100,000 children, also the most in the country. In February, Alaska’s House of Representatives passed a law that would exempt the state from new federal gun laws. Any federal agent who attempts to enforce the law could be charged with a felony. Despite its passage, the bill is considered unconstitutional since federal law is superior to state law.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)
1. Louisiana(10 of10)
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Firearm homicide deaths per 100,000: 9.53 (the highest)Firearm aggravated assaults per 100,000: 99.51 (4th highest)Violent crime rate per 100,000: 555.3 (7th highest)Need permit to purchase handgun: NoGovernor: Bobby Jindal (R)No state had a bigger problem with gun violence than Louisiana. Between 2001 and 2010, there were 18.9 firearm deaths — which includes suicides and accidents — annually for every 100,000 residents, more than any other state. In 2010, there were 9.53 homicides involving a firearm for every 100,000 residents, by far the highest rate in the country. In November 2012, nearly three-fourths of Louisiana voters approved a state constitutional amendment that placed a very strict standard on determining whether individual gun rights can be limited. Since the amendment was passed, a host of legal challenges have been filed against the state’s gun restrictions, including a challenge of the ban on felons to own firearms. The state received an F for its gun laws from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Among the reasons for the poor grade are the fact that the state does not require a waiting period for gun purchases or prohibit the sales of assault weapons or high-caliber rifles.Read more at 24/7 Wall St. (credit:Shutterstock)