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Volume CV, Number 33	University of Southern California	Tuesday. October 20. 1387
Gang violence concern of university, community
Los Angeles Police Department, the city hosts more than 200 gangs and 10 motorcycle gangs.
In the report. Chief of Police Daryl Gates says that although the LAPD was successful fighting most major crime in fiscal year 1983-86, it "also was a year, regrettably, that brought us no closer to solving what must be regarded as our two most pressing problems: narcotics and street gang violence."
According to the report, there were 150 gang-related homicides in 1985-86. Deputy District Attorney Loren Xaiman. one of 20 special gang prosecutors in Los Angeles County, said the actual number is greater.
were getting must of their money- by getting together and committing robberies.
"But they were getting caught and they started looking for safer ways to make money. So they went into the dope business," he said. "And they already had all the tools they needed for that."
20,000	gang members
Street Gangs, a manual published by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Youth Services Bureau, says that in the area policed by' the Sheriffs Department. 'There are over 180 gangs with an excess of 14,000 members. "
"They went into the dope businesshe said. And they already had all the tools they needed for that.
"I combined LAPD and Los Angeles Sheriff s Office (statistics) in 1985-86 and came up with 328 homicides with 13,000 gang crimes. In 1986-87, to the best of our findings so far, gang homicides have gone up 31 percent," he said
"The biggest reason (for the increased crime rate) is the link between gang violence and drug trafficking, specifically cocaine trafficking and even more specifically trafficking rock cocaine." Nai-man said.
"The gangs have found themselves in financial difficulties. Ten years ago they
A more recent figure places the number of gang members at 20.000. Ritch said In Central and Southwest Los Angeles, the largest black gangs are the Crips and Bloods There are also several Hisparoc gangs. Around the rest of the city. Filipino. Chinese. Vietnamese and others exist, but they don't rival the size and organization of those of blacks and Fiispanics.
There are white gangs, too. but "Anglos normally gravitate to motorcycle gangs, which is a culture separate from (Continued on jvpf 3)
By Mika Manty
Staff Writer
A 14-year-old gang member, armed with a pistol, wounded four people in two successive incidents at Adams Junior High School on the comer of Broadway and 30th Street Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
Although the roots of gangs and gang
violence are shrouded in the academic language of social researchers, the fact is that in Los Angeles, gangs are an unavoidable fact of life.
Because the university' is located in an area where gangs are common, "Students should know what all this graffiti and the gangs are about," said Sgt. David Ritch of University Security.
According to art annual report by the
MAKE MY DAY — Officer Lee Watters examines gang graffiti near 30th Street and Vermont Avenue.
Better earthquake preparedness recommended
By Julia Kirkendall
Staff Wnler_
In response to the university's lack of an organized earthquake response plan, both the Staff Assembly and the Student Senate have passed resolutions designed to prompt action on the part of the administration.
The Staff Assembly passed an earthquake preparedness resolution on July 2 in an attempt to let the university know that they "thought it should be a high priority* item," said Stan Young, director of student services for the School of Music and president of the Staff Assembly.
The resolution, which seeks the initiation of a formalized disaster plan, originated in the assembly's Staff Environment Committee.
"It was basically the knowledge of our Environment Committee that. . . a major earthquake has been predicted for many years and could happen at any time," Young said.
The committee felt that there was an "immediate need" for a plan that would include an all-university sys-
tem, said Margaret Bobo, assistant manager for employment and chair of the committee.
The university needs to coordinate a preparedness and communication system that will sustain those at the university during a major quake for at least 72 hours, she said, adding that each building should have an individual plan in order to be self-sustaining during an emergency.
Earthquake resolution
In the resolution the assembly moved that the following points be addressed within 90 days of the resolution's passage:
•Development of a comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Plan (including training) with a first level priority in the University budgeting process. Funding will be required for both an interim / networking plan and an
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Staff members should be trained m earthquake preparedness, first aid, and CPR In addition, plans should be made to ensure that food, water and replacement shelter are available. Bobo said.
The Student Senate recently passed a somewhat modified version of the Staff Assembly-'s resolution to reflect the concerns of the students, more so than those of the staff, said Bruce Clausen, president of the Student Senate.
"Students are very concerned." he said, adding that the university needed to devise a plan that would ensure that "students are taken care of first."
"It basically calls for the university to finish its . . . earthquake preparedness study." and for the appointment of full-time disaster preparedness experts. Clausen said.
Clausen said that concern had been expressed at the senate meeting about how matters were handled during the Oct. 1 quake and ensuing aftershocks that shook campus
<Continued on page 7)
University prepares museum for quake
By Kevin Ota
Staff Writer
Researchers at the university's School of Engineering, in a project funded by the Getty Conservation Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, are studying ways to avoid seismic damage to the Getty Museum's irreplaceable art treasures.
Mihran Agbabian, chairman of the university's civil engineering department and a principle investigator in the study, said, "Our goal is to provide general guidelines for the museum staff to follow in mounting various kinds of art objects, along with particular measures for certain objects."
Agbabian, along with Sami Masri, a university professor of civil engineering, and William Ginell, head of materials science at the Getty Institute, will study two methods of seismic resistance for art objects with the use of mathematical and computer models.
"The Getty is one of the first museums to make more than a cursory effort to protect its collection from earthquake damage," Agbabian said. "The standard engineering techniques used to protect
computers and other sensitive machinery from vibration must be adapted for use with art objects."
Agbabian said the first method researchers will study involves the reduction of the seismic shaking of an object with the use of ball bearings, rubber pads or pther isolating devices.
The second method minimizes the stress on an art object by controlling the relative vibration of the art piece through the design of its supporting device.
After a computer analysis, the researchers will verify their findings by observing scale models of "generic" art objects on electromechanical shake tables.
Agbabian said aesthetic considerations will also be taken into account when studying the mitigation of seismic damage to the art objects.
"Some of these objects are extremely fragile," Agbabian said. "Yet. . .protective measures cannot interfere with public appreciation of their beauty."
"Curators want no distractions," Ginell said. "They want the art object to be displayed with merely its looks in mind. To the conservator, however, aesthetics are not as important."
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Some rent bills have gone to students’ old addresses
Students living in university apartments who have not received an October rent bill need to check with the Cashier's Office to be sure their local mailing address is correct.
The Cashier's Office sends rent notices to each student's local mailing address prior to the first day of each month, said Betty Cowin, interim bursar.
However, she said many students may be billed at their permanent addresses or to a previous year's local address.
Theoretically, a student could be living in an apartment this semester and his rent notice could be sent to the dormitory he lived in last year. Cowin said.
Payment for October rent bilb will be due "around" the next billing cycle which begins on October 25, Cowin said.
The Cashier's Office has been including rent bilb with student's monthly account statements since July 1986, Cowin said Therefore, she said computer delays were improbable.
However, one employee of the Cashier's Office said some October rent notices are still being mailed out and should be arriving "any day now."
—By DameUe Sanford