In Queens, the biggest concern for the new school year is gangs. From Woodside to Jamaica, and Maspeth to Corona, parents, students and teachers are conscious of the situation and seeking help from authorities, politicians and police. Yet, the biggest challenge faced by the affected communities is breaking the wall of silence from victims of gang violence and creating a master plan to protect children, especially the children of immigrants.

At the same time, investigators, neighbors, and experts are concerned that some neighborhoods like Corona are starting to look like East Los Angeles as a result of gang activity.

“The legislation we propose seeks to respond to the disturbing tendencies in visibility and activity of gangs,” said State Senator John Sabini (D-Corona), representing District 13, speaking about the proposed law that seeks to resolve the problem considered by many to be the most important issue currently facing Queens.

“When you look at certain parts of 45th Avenue in Corona, you feel like you are in East Los Angeles, with gangs and graffiti, forbidden colors. It’s unbelievable,” said Jenny Fernandez (D), who was running for the State Assembly in the 39th District, which includes Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona.

Researchers concur on the comparisons between East Los Angeles and Corona.

“Although East L.A. is characterized by low population density and decentralization and Corona has high population density and centralization, these characteristics of course form a ‘perfect storm’ for the growth of street gangs, which work as socializing agents and provide negative ways for young people to establish a sense of belonging in such a chaotic environment,” said Dr. Arturo Sánchez, professor of Urban Studies in La Guardia Community College, who is in charge of a research project in the area.

Politicians, police, and researchers are concerned that the past three years, Corona seems out of control.

“The well-known conditions in largely immigrant Corona create a volatile situation, especially due to the speculative construction of cheap homes by absentee owners. These apartments are expensive, and as a result many people share them. At the same time, this allows for an increase in public services, like schools, police and sanitation,” explained Sánchez.

For gangs like the MS-13 - Mara Salvatrucha; MS 18; the Latin Kings; the Bloods; and the Patos Locos, “this is a golden opportunity to expand their drug and prostitution networks,” said Assemblyman José Peralta (D - Corona), who ran for reelection in the 39th District under a campaign against gang violence.

New York authorities say that gang-related crime has gone down in Queens and in the rest of the city.

“In 2005 in northern Queens gang-related crime went down by 28 percent. There were 68 incidents compared with 78 in 2004,” said a spokesman for the Northern Queens Police Department.

At the same time, authorities complain that there is a wall of silence on the part of victims of gang violence.

“We need the community’s cooperation to fight gangs,” said Lieutenant Mark Moody, commanding officer of the Community Assistance Division of the School Security Division.

“Every school has at least one officer from the New York Police Department assigned to it, and their primary objective is school security,” explained Alicia Maxey Greens, of the Communications and Media Relations Office of the city’s Department of Education.

“The community needs to play a more active role in the eradication of this problem. Turning the other cheek or assuming that it’s an ethnic problem is not an adequate approach. The gang problem is real and affects all of us, regardless of race, gender, or religion,” said Peralta.

“Many immigrants are afraid to go to the police and report on someone who’s committed a crime,” said Orlando Tobón, member of Community Board No. 3, which includes Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and Corona. “In part because they don’t know English and in part because many are illegal, and in part because many come from Latin American or Asian countries and Russia, where the police are seen as the enemy. We need to build a bridge of credibility between authorities and immigrants,” said Councilman Hiram Monserrate, who ran against Senator Sabini in District 13, which includes Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona.