Believe it or not, Los Angeles was just waiting for an event like the Rodney King verdict to explode. All that was needed was that one spark to ignite the anger in the citizens of South Central and cause the area to explode. One of the recent and most significant riots took place on the streets of L...

\"Always Running, by Luis T. Rodriguez, is a book based on a specific chapter of the author\'s life story. Rodriguez\'s life was centered on the fact that he was involved in gang life during his teen years. Like his book title, he was constantly running, whether it be a crime scene or the police. \"...

In Los Angeles County, there are so many families without a home. Although there are plenty of places available out there, the cost of rent is so high that anyone with an average wage job could not survive on their own especially with a family. People search for jobs in LA County and find tha...

It is quite normal for young children and teenagers to form peer groups. But when they go unsupervised and start engaging in criminal acts, that peer group becomes a "gang". A gang is an informal body of friends. They are peer groups who are socialized by the streets rather than by conv...

In April of 1992 a jury in LA comes together to declare a mainly non-guilty verdict on all charges against the police officer that beat Rodney King. In what begins as a peaceful rally against this verdict turns into a three day long riot in the streets of LA. A few years later a woman named Anna D...

L. A. Confidential The Bad Cop I was not really interested in seeing LA Confidential since everyone I knew who went to see it had bad things to say-too long, too boring, too confusing. After watching the movie, I became very interested in the movie. It's rare to see a movie with great actin...

American Me is a harsh look at the "reality" of prison and gang life, especially within the Chicano community. Based on a "true story", American Me traces the life of a Latino crime lord, Santana, from his youth growing up in the barrio of East Los Angeles, through his rise to power behind the walls...

John Wayne was viewed as the embodiment of America's spirit. He and the fictitious land he roamed is, says Louis Owens, "The greatest dream of all," (La Puerta 109). The man was always trying to correct some wrong, avenge a moral crime, save a damsel in distress, or capture the &q...

Living the Vida Loca Many simple-minded people would believe that gang violence, sex, drugs, and abuse of any type would bring the worst out of people. However, Luis J. Rodriguez is a man that can prove that theory wrong. He has attended many universities including University of California, Los An...

Metal Detectors in schools Metal detectors, if put in schools, can prevent violence. In schools where gang violence occurs, metal detectors can help make them safer. Metal detectors, if used responsibly can prevent violence in schools by eliminating the possessions of weapons that can cause ...

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT WOMEN AND SPORTS Facts about Girls, Women and Sports * Before Title IX was passed in 1972, only 1 out of 27 high school girls participated in sports. Today, 1 out of 2.5 high school girls plays organized athletics. * Female student athletes graduate at significantly higher ra...

Police brutality has been a long lasting problem in the United States since at least 1903 when police Captain Williams of the New York Police Departmen coined the phrase, "There is more law at the end of a policeman's nightstick than in a decision of the Supreme Court." In the 1920&...

Kody Scott, aka Sanyika Shakur aka Monster, was one of the most notorious members of the infamous Crips gang in South Central Los Angeles. In his autobiography, "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member," Scott gives the public an inside look at life in prison and its effect on h...

For many years, women across the world have been treated differently. Despite, the long vigorous fight that women had to endure, to reach equality. Women are still treated different, especially women of color. Yet, this did not stop the courageous women of East Los Angeles when they decided to fig...

Rubberized Asphalt In this report, I will be talking about rubberized asphalt. I will talk about how this product first came about, and how it is made. Also I will talk about what the advantages of using this are and other information about it. In the world, there are many roads leading in...