Robert Vargas, a sociology professor at University of Wisconsin, initially became interested in gang violence when he volunteered at a Latino youth group. He was driven to study the educational performance of the kids, but the students’ fear of a fast-approaching gang initiation was what caught his attention.

Vargas grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. He attended Depaul University and later received his P.h.D at Northwestern University.

While attending college, Vargas wondered why there were so few minorities in his classes and the reasons for their absence. He said the classes he took in sociology gave him the tools to answer some of these questions.

In order to understand education opportunities he had to understand violence that surrounded the youth. Vargas said statistics showing violence within Chicago neighborhoods has shown a decrease since the 1990s.

“This doesn’t mean that violence isn’t happening,” Vargas said.

Violence is also decreasing at a slower place within other neighborhoods, Vargas said. Gang violence within Chicago is a geographic problem and affects “predominantly low-income communities of color.”

Vargas said in order for violence prevention to work, groups and organizations who fundamentally oppose each other need learn to come together.

He said it lies within the power of the people, because gang violence is seen as an opportunity to address the political structure of the city. As a strong community, people of color will be able to address problems and concerns, creating a power structure of themselves, he said.

While Madison’s crime rate and gang presence is lower than Chicago’s, Madison police officer Lester Moore said some trends are beginning to show up. Moore said violence among Madison’s youth has increased, and kids are creating gangs of their own such as “click-banging.”

These particular groups will name give themselves a unique sign, Moore said. He gives parents advice to pay attention and become aware of who their children are hanging around with. Moore said recruitment for the gangs starts around the fourth or fifth grade during elementary school.

In middle school, the increase is seen through behavior, which Moore describes as “dressing the dress, walking the walk and talking the talk.” He also advised parents to monitor their kids’ social media accounts, as gang communication mainly occurs online.

As for Vargas, his focus now is to curb the violent lifestyle some kids are forced into.

“Violence structures the lives of so many young kids within these neighborhoods and limits their education opportunities,” Vargas said.