Evangelical becomes LA anti-gang head

Rev. Jeff Carr, an Evangelical minister, has been appointed Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development Programmes in Los Angeles.

It is estimated that there are 40,000 gang members in the city.

Upon his appointment, Rev. Carr said, "We can't arrest our way out of this problem. We have got to figure out how to provide opportunities to communities who have been bypassed for years" (BBC).

Carr seems like the right man for the job. Religion, when properly presented, often gives people the kind of hope they need in order to move away from self-destructive behaviour.

The question is, though: how much religious influence will Carr be able to bring to bear in his new position, given the separation of church and state in the US?