Public Transit And Gang Recruitment

7 May 2004 - 1:00pm

Is San Francisco's BART being used as to recruit new members into local rival gangs?

The San Francisco Chronicle investigates whether one of the unintended consequences of the BART extension "may be that it helps San Francisco gangs enlist new members from fertile San Mateo County schools and neighborhoods... 'We really feel that BART has assisted in the recruitment in the North County area,' said Rhonda Collins, a probation services manager... BART now connects areas of South San Francisco and San Bruno with a station at the intersection of 24th and Mission streets in San Francisco, an area known as a stronghold for Norteño street gangs, and a station at 16th and Mission streets, home to a rival gang of Sureños."

Source: San Francisco Examiner, May 3, 2004
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