A retired lawyer who claimed gangs were recruiting "like never before" said the Island needed new legislation to protect its children.

Former lawyer Kevin Comeau, said he met with the Island's Attorney General Kim Wilson, Police, social workers and teachers to get insight on the issue of gang violence.

After six months of research he learnt that local gangs were actively looking to get more members and even targeting high school students.

He said the issue was of importance to him, a Bermuda resident since 1989, and said: "I think everyone cares about gang violence.

"I do not see how it is possible for anyone to be reading the newspaper or even talking to people in the community and not know that gang violence is getting worse and worse."

According to Mr. Comeau the problem should be tackled with urgency and a law making it a criminal offence to be a gang member could be a solution.

But he also said that "anti-recruitment" legislation could give Police and prosecutors "a much bigger weapon to battle gang violence".

He said: "Make no mistake about it gangs are actively recruiting like never before. Gangs are warring with other gangs, and to fight wars you need two things: firepower and manpower.

"That means these gangs have a strong incentive not only to import more and more guns but also to actively recruit more and more members.

"Because by doing so they not only increase their power to wage battle both now and in the future, but they also increase their ability to sell more drugs thereby increasing their personal wealth," he said.

Speaking at the Hamilton Rotary Club, Mr. Comeau said 'anti-gang' legislation, like that in Canada, would impose additional prison sentences on those contributing to gang activities or instructing others to commit crimes on behalf of the gang.

These sentences would run consecutively to all other sentences. They would also restrict the gang member's ability to obtain early parole, making the time the gang member spends in prison much longer.

According to him, the Island's secondary schools were also affected by this recruitment.

Mr. Comeau spoke to a Berkeley Institute teacher three weeks ago, who said that even some of her "good students" were being forced to join gangs.

"(The student) told her that he got jumped after school by a bunch of boys who threatened to keep attacking him until he joined the gang.

"Another student said he had no choice — his dad, a long-time gang member, forced him to join.

"Unfortunately, the threats of violence to these young boys doesn't end there. If a boy tries to leave the gang, he also faces the constant threat of physical harm," Mr. Comeau said.

According to the former international corporate lawyer, the problem experienced on the Island is not unique to Bermuda.

But he said gang violence threatened the Island's social and economic foundation more so than other countries due to its small population and small geographic size.

"Every resident in Bermuda lives within virtually one mile of where gang shootings have occurred over the last two years," he said. He added that almost every Bermudian either knows the shooter or victim, or knows someone that does, calling this the "two degrees of separation".

Just like in the US an "overwhelming number" of Bermuda's gang members come from low-income, single-parent homes, with minimal father input, Mr. Comeau said.

They often do poorly in school (due to a lack of parental involvement) and have little sense of belonging to family or community and seek that need through gang membership.

One solution would be to create a computerised garnishment registry system that would automatically deduct money from a delinquent father's paycheck each month and remit that amount to support his children.

This would ensure single mothers get the assistance they need to take care of their children, he said.

The programme would also give fathers, who spend at least 10 hours a week helping their children with homework or sport and coaching activities, the ability to pay a lesser amount.

Another solution would be to change the way Government gives rent subsidies to single mothers, he said.

Instead of simply giving them the money each month, there could be incentives to parents who agree to take an effective parenting programme teaching them how to be more involved in their children's education.

He said the legislation, could "stop our accelerated march toward the abyss and take our first step toward a safer society."

"But to do so, we must first recognise the full extent of the threat that is now upon us so that we will have the sense of urgency to act swiftly, the knowledge to act wisely, and the courage to act decisively. "

To see an entire copy of Mr. Comeau's speech, visit the 'opinion' page at www.theroyalgazette.com.