We spoke to Baird and asked him what kind of impact he believes the launch of his book had on those within his audience today.

Dr Adam Baird, Sociologist, Author:
"Well I have been researching gangs and gang violence for 20 years or so in the whole region also in the Caribbean, in Trinidad and a little bit in Kingston in Jamaica and I had the fortune to come to Belize about 15 years ago and then I realised there were not many publications on gangs in the country and so I resolved after that to come back, do some research and finally publish a book. And so this began with two or three articles supporting the design of these Southside youth success programs back in the day and culminating in this book launch in Belize. The book came out a few months back we got some copies into the country and for me it's the most important thing is sharing this book with Belizeans because every time I sat down to write it I was thinking about the Belizean population and as you said today in the book launch it's about giving a voice to the people on the south side so they are heard and some of these issues are raised."

"I was really delighted to have young men here so I flagged to them some of the vulnerabilities that they will face, if you are a young man today and you join a gang on the south side the chances of you becoming disabled, permanently injured, ending up in jail or getting killed, are very very high so there was a message for them saying you know it might seem like an attractive space to engage with but it is important to try and find different avenues when you are growing up and different things to do because if you end up in that space as a young man then things could end badly for you."

The book is solid locally by Cubola for 60 dollars.