BEGINNING IN THE 1990s, police departments and the criminal justice system began to seriously crack down on gang activity. As a result, there has also been a trend toward longer prison sentences for gang members convicted of crimes. In addition to severe punishment for gang-related crime, there have been many efforts to break up gangs before they can destroy neighborhoods.

One of the more controversial ways in which the police in many cities are attempting to gain control of the gang situation is by enforcing city ordinances that discourage gang members—despite whether they have committed a crime—from assembling in the parts of town where they are known to sell drugs or commit other crimes and by imposing strict curfews. To many in communities affected by gangs, these are welcome steps. However, others feel that...