There are approximately 1.4 million active street, prison, and OMG gang members comprising more than 33,000 gangs in the United States. Gang membership increased most significantly in the Northeast and Southeast regions, although the West and Great Lakes regions boast the highest number of gang members. Neighborhood-based gangs, hybrid gang members, and national-level gangs such as the Sureños are rapidly expanding in many jurisdictions. Many communities are also experiencing an increase in ethnic-based gangs such as African, Asian, Caribbean, and Eurasian gangs.
Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in several others, according to NGIC analysis. Major cities and suburban areas experience the most gang-related violence. Local neighborhood-based gangs and drug crews continue to pose the most significant criminal threat in most communities. Aggressive recruitment of juveniles and immigrants, alliances and conflict between gangs, the release of incarcerated gang members from prison, advancements in technology and communication, and Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization (MDTO) involvement in drug distribution have resulted in gang expansion and violence in a number of jurisdictions.
This is already outdated. It would be interesting to see current numbers:
Age and race/ethnicity of gang members were measured in the
1996, 1998, and 1999 surveys. In 1996, respondents reported
that 50 percent of gang members were juveniles (i.e., younger
than 18) and 50 percent were adults (i.e., 18 and older). In 1999,
these numbers were 37 percent and 63 percent, respectively. In
1999, respondents reported that 47 percent of gang members were
Hispanic, 31 percent African American, 13 percent white, 7 percent
Asian, and 2 percent “other.” The distribution of race/ethnicity of
gang members varied little across measurement years.
We can keep pretending that it’s not a problem, though. Wouldn’t want to offend anyone or seem “politically incorrect,” now would we? Perhaps if we bury our heads in the sand, these issues will all fix themselves.
