As a first step, we must recognize that gang violence is a critical social issue, and it extracts a high toll on the business community and the general public. The city of Los Angeles alone harbors over 400 gangs with more than 39,000 members, according to the Violence Prevention Coalition of Greater Los Angeles...The Vera Institute of Justice Cost Benefit Analysis reported that in 2006, medical care for victims of gunshot wounds in the city of Los Angeles cost California and federal agencies an estimated $45 million. The same report said out-of-pocket expenses to victims such as loss of wages, property damage, medical and quality of life total some $1.1 billion annually.