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Gang activity is a serious and complex subject. Causes, strategies and solutions for this societal aberration are debated widely throughout the country, with no clear solution in sight. Why is this subject so controversial? After all, youth gangs are nothing new; they were documented in our country's earliest days. Why are parents, teachers, police officers, and others now so concerned? The answer lies in this simple equation:
GANGS = VIOLENCE
Although today's gang members make up less than one percent of the country's population, they are responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crimes committed; crimes such as murder, narcotic sales, robberies and drive-by shootings. These crimes are not only directed at rival gangs, but also at the general public. Sadly, many victims are innocent bystanders. In the past 10 years, juvenile arrests for weapons charges have increased 103 percent. The number of juveniles arrested for murder has tripled since 1984. Thirty years ago, gang activity was reported in only 23 U.S. cities. Today, gangs have been identified throughout the United States, from small rural hamlets to large urban areas. (Statistics from U.S. Dept. of Justice) Today's gang members occupy all social, economic and ethnic levels in the community.
WHY ARE GANGS SPREADING SO RAPIDLY?
MIGRATION: In a simple analogy, think of a gang member as a cancer cell. A gang member may move to another state, and infect new members. As more people are infected and join the gang, the progression grows from a single cell to a tumor. The tumor eventually infects the entire body. (The gang situation in Southern California is a good example of this process.) Ironically, some gangs have spread with the unwitting aid of concerned parents, who move to "non-gang" areas to remove their children from what they perceive as a dangerous neighborhood. The children bring the gang lifestyle with them, and "infect" new members, which continues the deadly cycle.
PROFIT: Many gangs are involved in illegal criminal enterprises. Profits can be considerable, and are a powerful incentive to recruit new members. In a twisted way, gang criminal enterprises mimic the "American Dream" of building and running a successful business. Gang crimes commonly seen include sales and distribution of narcotics, assaults and drive-by shootings, burglaries and other property crimes, extortion, and auto theft.
