Over the last several years, there has been a reduction in gang-related violence throughout Southern California. Twenty years ago in the Santa Ana community of Townsend arrests for gang-related crime were commonplace. Then, according to a recent Orange County Register story, substantial federal funds were used to create community programs and "large-scale operations targeted gang members and drug dealers using surveillance and other gang-suppression techniques." The efforts have been largely successful but many people still claim that gangs have too much power in the area. A new gang-suppression strategy may come with a cost too high for people who consider civil rights of paramount importance.

Last year a judge allowed an injunction to be imposed in the area. Such an injunction includes the names of suspected gang members who must adhere to the terms including a 10 PM curfew. Several people who have had their names included on the injunction in Townsend are fighting back in court arguing that they have been unfairly targeted. The results of this case may have a serious impact on the use of similar injunctions in the future.