$1.6 Billion Bailout for Gang Bangers?

[chanel]

LOS ANGELES — A $1.6 billion congressional bailout of sorts could help financially flailing groups that fight to keep young people out of trouble, yet lawmakers are reluctant to take up the expensive proposal amid a sour economy and other, more pressing issues.

The Youth Promise Act would dole out money to organizations like Homeboy Industries, a gang rehabilitation center founded in 2001 under the motto "Nothing stops a bullet like a job." The group's founder Father Greg Boyle recently had to lay off more than 300 of his 427 workers, most of them former gang members, when expected revenues plummeted.

At Homeboy Industries, Boyle employs former gang members to work in the center's bakery, restaurant or T-shirt press. However, workers in these businesses were largely insulated from recent cuts.

Most of those laid off were getting paid simply to attend training and carry out maintenance and administrative work at the center's downtown headquarters.

The Associated Press: Broke youth anti-crime groups want federal cash

Good investment?