GANGS

Gang Threats

Gangs affect the quality of life in neighborhoods by endangering the lives of those who live in the community. They do this by engaging in criminal activity that may cause retaliation by a rival gang. We often hear innocent bystanders dying from a stray bullet coming from a drive-by-shooting.

They engage in many types of criminal activity such as; vandalism/graffiti, drug use/sales, firearm possession, auto theft, carjacking, assaults, murder, burglary and prostitution in some cases.

In the past gangs were known to exist predominately in large cities, but now they can be found in urban, suburban and rural areas as well. One of the reasons behind them moving into these smaller town/cities is due to the town/cities not having sufficient resources or knowledge to combat the problem.

In the West Coast we find some of the most notorious gangs that have spread throughout our nation; MS 13, 18th Street, Bloods, Crips, Mexican Mafia, Hells Angels, Asian Gangs and Skinheads.

Gangs in Arizona

Bloods, Crips, Brown Mexican Pride, Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings, Mau Mau, Mara Salvatrucha, Nazi Low Riders, Norteños, Wetback Power

Prison Gangs - African American Council, Arizona Aryan Brotherhood, Arizona’s New Mexican Mafia, Arizona’s Old Mexican Mafia, Border Brothers, Grandel, La Raza, Mau Mau, Sureños, Warrior Society

In surveys that were taken to gage gang criminal activity, it was found that:

In Arizona we continue to see an increase in gang membership among the youth. There is estimated 8,400 (out of 53,478 students that responded to the survey) youth gang members that have reported being affiliated with some type of gang here in Arizona. We are talking of youth that are in 8th, 10th and 12th grade and are attending school. In Maricopa County alone there was an increase of youth joining gangs from 2.5 percent in 2004 to 3.3 percent in 2006

The same students taking the surveys also were asked the following questions:

• Have you sold drugs in the past 12 months?
  39% responded yes
  
  
• Have you ever attacked someone intending to do serious harm?
  57.6% responded yes
  
  
• Have you taken an handgun to school?
  15.8% responded yes
  
  
• Have you taken a weapon to school (other than an handgun)?
  35.3% responded yes
  
  
• Do you carry an handgun?
  41.8% responded yes

(Source: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission)

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