In recent years a violent gang known as MS-13 has appeared in the United States, whose members are often unaccompanied minors coming from El Salvador and Honduras. Many have found a home on New York’s Long Island and have been accused of a series of gruesome murders, some 25 since 2016. Filmmaker Marcela Gaviria’s PBS-aired Frontline documentary looks at America's catch-up efforts to deal with this violent gang, comprised of 200-300 members, with many others in cliques. MS-13 not only pressures juveniles to join the gang, but also harasses friends and families, sometimes violently, often in the form of dismemberment, with assaults using machetes. Schools are "ground zero" for recruiting efforts, with nearby isolated woods being ideal spots to cloak activities. Many of those affected are illegal immigrants, who are reluctant to approach possibly unsympathetic police and other authorities. President Trump has fanned the flames of alarm about the danger posed by illegals, ordering "Operation Matador," a roundup of suspected MS-13 members. Making a gang sign, wearing insignia, sporting tattoos, or even having something scrawled in a school notebook can be enough for detention. Some youths may not be members, but are nevertheless subjected to solitary confinement, jailed far away from home or any support system, where they are surrounded by an alien culture and language differences (leading to increased suicide attempts). Featuring interviews with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, among others, this is a timely, fair-minded treatment of a hot immigration topic that presents no easy solutions. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
The Gang Crackdown
(2018) 60 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.99 w/PPR). PBS Video. SDH captioned. ISBN: 978-1-5317-0436-0. Volume 33, Issue 5
The Gang Crackdown
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: