Government's decision to investigate the Operation Ceasefire as part of the effort to combat gang violence should be welcomed.This newspaper has long advocated this programme, as has the Opposition, and especially Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley.Indeed, there was some fear that the fact that this newspaper has long recommended the programme might be a reason why it was not being looked at but Friday's announcement by Public Safety Minister Wayne Perinchief allays that fear and shows the Government recognises that no single entity in this country has a monopoly on good ideas.Ceasefire is not the only way of combating gang violence, and it may not even be the best. But it has produced good results in North America and, increasingly, in the UK, so it is worth considering. Certainly it should not be looked at in isolation. Breaking up gangs and persuading the young people who are in them that there are better alternatives requires a holistic policy which deals with what encourages young men in particular to join gangs.But Ceasefire can and should be a central part of that. In essence, it uses a carrot and a stick approach, backed by solid intelligence.Police and helping agencies usually know who the relatively small numbers of active gang members are. They bring a gang together and let them know that they know who they are, often by showing video and photographs of them in action, and then give them a choice.Either, with the help of helping agencies, they can agree to go back into education or legitimate work, or the police will come after them and make their lives a misery.It is critical that this process be led not by the police but by social workers and helping agencies. And it is also critical that these offers are funded and guaranteed. The worst possible thing would be for the offer of help to be given and then not carried through.Some people may balk at the idea of offering criminals support and help, and having this support funded out of the public purse. But the alternative is a continuation of the current crisis. For all the success the police have had in gaining convictions, it does not solve the problem, as they admit; at best it contains it.Nonetheless, this approach will not work unless the community supports it. There will be failures, as there have been with the Mirrors Programme. But if the programme is executed well and is supported, it may offer the best chance Bermuda has to end the gang violence and serious gun crime that is blighting the community.