Deterring Gangs from Your Neighborhood Turf
Coast to coast, crime prevention and government work to curb gang-related crime.
Yakima, Washington: “Innocent 6 year old girl shot outside home during possible gang shooting” (KAPP TV)
Washington, DC: “Police: Gang member killed for trying to quit MS-13” (The Washington Examiner)
Marion, South Carolina: “Two churches defaced with gang graffiti” (CarolinaLive)
Long gone are the Jets and Sharks of Hollywood lore. The headlines above ust three of hundreds from this past July alone—speak volumes about gangs and society. Gang-related crime and violence has evolved over the years in America, while no community is “immune” to the emergence of gangs. Most communities have no reported gang problem. According to the National Gang Center’s 2009 National Youth Gang Survey, an estimated 28,100 gangs with 731,000 members are active in the United States.
No longer focused solely on battling local rivals, some gangs have involvement in international drug cartels, prostitution and human trafficking, and other illicit activities. Yet, even homegrown groups threaten