The Take: Fixing Flash Mobs: MyFoxPHILLY.com
Dr. Chuck Williams, director of the Center for the Prevention of School-Aged Violence at Drexel University, filmed an editorial for FOX 29 on June 28 about the culture and prevention of "flash mobs." The topic is garnering media attention due to the recent outbreak of flash mobs in the city of Philadelphia.
Flash mobs are large groups of youths that gather at various pre-determined places. Social networking sites are fueling flash mobs, spreading the word about meet-up locations and times. This increases the size of the groups, which in Philadelphia, were recently reported to contain 100-150 individuals.
During the weekend of June 25, flash mobs in the city turned violent. In the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia, a group attacked several people, including a woman whose leg was broken during the attack. Another group descended upon a Sears in the suburb of Upper Darby, stealing merchandise.
One theory about why flash mobs occur more in summer is that students are on break from school and their days are unstructured, leaving them more time to organize and form large groups.
There is much debate surrounding flash mobs, from how to stop them to appropriate punishments. Dr. Chuck Williams was also quoted in a FOX 29 story about how parents of these youths should be held accountable for their child's actions.