Difference between revisions of "Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock"
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| − | '''Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock''' is a 1994 | + | '''Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock''' is a 1994 documentary from HBO's "America Undercover" television series documenting gang violence in Little Rock, Arkansas. The film was produced by Marc Levin. |
| − | + | ''Gang War'' begins with Little Rock's 1993 Fourth of July celebrations. Public enjoyment of traditional holiday activities like fishing and band concerts is juxtaposed against roving armed gangs, fist-fighting youth, and rap music. | |
| − | The central local figure in the film is [[Steve Nawojczyk]], the | + | The central local figure in the film is [[Steve Nawojczyk]], the [[Pulaski County]] coroner since 1983. |
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| + | ====Reaction to ''Gang War''==== | ||
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| + | In the wake of the cable broadcast in 1994 some city leaders fell into denial and others took action. Said Nawojczyk in 2002, "There was lots of grumbling that [the documentary] wasn’t truly reflective of Little Rock. But it was truly reflective of what was going on in the locations that it was filmed. These were neighborhoods that were under fire day in and day out." The number of murders in the county dropped from 94 in 1994 to 49 in 2000, and the number of known gangs fell from around 60 to around 30. | ||
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| + | An after-school prevention program for at-risk young people, [[Our Club]], expanded to seventeen sites across the county. Another faith-based effort is the [[Watershed Project]] led by executive director [[Hezekiah Stewart]]. A third was the [[Let Our Violence End (L.O.V.E.) Foundation]]. Said Charles Mobley, juvenile services director for Pulaski County, "These programs are very worthwhile and needed because they are a deterrent to getting in trouble. If we invest in kids now, we won't be concerned with the number of jails beds we have later on." | ||
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| + | In 2002 the Reverend Hezekiah Stewart emphasized that the conditions underlying the original problem had not gone away: "The lack of jobs, the bad relations with parents, the apathy, the drug culture. It's all still here. Selling drugs to bring home money to your family and joining gangs is their way of surviving." | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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*Winston Bryant, ''State of Arkansas Attorney General's Youth Gang Task Force: Summary Report,'' 1994. | *Winston Bryant, ''State of Arkansas Attorney General's Youth Gang Task Force: Summary Report,'' 1994. | ||
*''Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock'' (America Undercover Series, HBO, 1994). | *''Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock'' (America Undercover Series, HBO, 1994). | ||
| + | *Natalie Gardner, "Bangin' in Little Rock Nearly 10 Years Later," ''Little Rock Family,'' March 2002. | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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| + | *[http://www.gangwar.com/ The Coroner's Report - Homepage of Steve Nawojczyk] | ||
[[Category:Films]] | [[Category:Films]] | ||
Revision as of 11:36, 24 May 2009
Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock is a 1994 documentary from HBO's "America Undercover" television series documenting gang violence in Little Rock, Arkansas. The film was produced by Marc Levin.
Gang War begins with Little Rock's 1993 Fourth of July celebrations. Public enjoyment of traditional holiday activities like fishing and band concerts is juxtaposed against roving armed gangs, fist-fighting youth, and rap music.
The central local figure in the film is Steve Nawojczyk, the Pulaski County coroner since 1983.
Reaction to Gang War
In the wake of the cable broadcast in 1994 some city leaders fell into denial and others took action. Said Nawojczyk in 2002, "There was lots of grumbling that [the documentary] wasn’t truly reflective of Little Rock. But it was truly reflective of what was going on in the locations that it was filmed. These were neighborhoods that were under fire day in and day out." The number of murders in the county dropped from 94 in 1994 to 49 in 2000, and the number of known gangs fell from around 60 to around 30.
An after-school prevention program for at-risk young people, Our Club, expanded to seventeen sites across the county. Another faith-based effort is the Watershed Project led by executive director Hezekiah Stewart. A third was the Let Our Violence End (L.O.V.E.) Foundation. Said Charles Mobley, juvenile services director for Pulaski County, "These programs are very worthwhile and needed because they are a deterrent to getting in trouble. If we invest in kids now, we won't be concerned with the number of jails beds we have later on."
In 2002 the Reverend Hezekiah Stewart emphasized that the conditions underlying the original problem had not gone away: "The lack of jobs, the bad relations with parents, the apathy, the drug culture. It's all still here. Selling drugs to bring home money to your family and joining gangs is their way of surviving."
References
- Winston Bryant, State of Arkansas Attorney General's Youth Gang Task Force: Summary Report, 1994.
- Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock (America Undercover Series, HBO, 1994).
- Natalie Gardner, "Bangin' in Little Rock Nearly 10 Years Later," Little Rock Family, March 2002.
