April 30, 2013Dear Sir,I would like to applaud the Bermuda Government on their initiatives combating gang violence. I was watching ‘Let’s Talk’ with host Gary Moreno on ZBM Monday, April 29 with Senator Jeff Baron and David Kennedy from New York, USA. Mr Kennedy is here assisting Bermuda Government with the programme Operation Ceasefire.A caller asked Mr Kennedy why no one had addressed the root causes of gangs during the show. Mr Kennedy omitted that he did not know of any studies regarding the formation of gangs in the US.May I add that there have been a number of studies conducted on gangs, and the root causes as to why gangs are formed. Some of them are: ‘The Real Root Causes of Violent Crime: The Breakdown of Marriage, Family and Community’, Patrick F Fagan, (1995). Also, ‘Youth Gang Violence and Guns’, (2009); ‘The Breakdown of the Family: The Consequences for Children and American Society’, (1998); ‘The Gangs of Los Angeles’ (2007); ‘The Epidemic of Gang-related Homicides in Los Angeles County from 1979 through 1994’, (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1995), just to name a few.Thank you Mr Acting Editor for allowing me to bring awareness to research conducted on gangs and why they are formed.EDWARD TAVARESChildWatchCo-founder