Hawaiian Gardens : Youths Who Violate City’s Curfew to Have Counseling

Minors found on Hawaiian Gardens streets after 10 p.m. are being given notices to appear at City Hall--accompanied by parents or guardians--for counseling under a curfew program aimed at stemming gang violence.

“We want to get the kids in for counseling to tell them why it’s dangerous to be out there. There are drive-by shootings and that sort of thing,” City Administrator Nelson Oliva said. Counseling also will be aimed at helping families control their children, he said.

Hawaiian Gardens has hired a certificated counselor who will conduct sessions Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The curfew, which applies to youngsters under the age of 18, is being enforced by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, who patrol the city. Oliva said repeat offenders will be ordered to appear in Juvenile Court, where they could be fined. He said that in place of fines, he would like the court to require youngsters to perform community service, including cleaning alleys and removing graffiti.

A progress report on the anti-gang effort will be given to the City Council on Feb. 11 at the urging of Councilman Domenic Ruggeri, who wants parents to be fined for repeat offenses by their youngsters.

Gang violence left 16 people dead in Hawaiian Gardens and neighboring Artesia last year, prompting both cities to look for additional means to combat the problem.