Activists in some communities say they have to relocate quitting gang members in order to ensure their safety -- a spin on the classic "witness protection program" that seeks to give a new start to former gangbangers.

USA Today reported Sept. 7 that churches, community groups and police in cities like Durham, N.C., Providence, R.I., Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va., have helped relocate gang members, providing money, housing and other assistance.

"We've been involved with a number of tragedies here," said pastor Kenneth Hammond of Durham's Union Baptist Church, who recently gave a 15-year-old gang member money to help him and his family move to Ohio. "Sometimes, there is just too much danger to keep them here."

Many gangs require members to pledge their loyalty for life, and those who break the oath are often targeted for violence or death. "You are dealing with a kid's life here," said John Reis, a former Rhode Island gang investigator who helped relocate a 16-year-old Latin Kings member in 2001. "If you don't do something, they could end up dead tomorrow."

Once relocated, there's no guarantee that former gang members will avoid trouble in their new communities, but advocates say the move at least gives them a fighting chance to change their lives. "With the Internet and the way everybody is connected these days, it's hard to completely remove a kid," said Reis. "There is really nowhere you can go to completely escape this. At some point, we'll be flying kids all over the place to escape."