A Juvenile Offenders and Victims 2006 National Report estimated 49 percent of gang members were Hispanic, 37 percent were black, eight percent were white, five percent were Asian, and one percent were of other ethnicity.
The Journal Gazette newspaper’s recent article on gang activity in our city called attention to this social, economic and criminal issue which must be addressed, despite its complexity. Of course, Fort Wayne is not unique, gang activity and violence is a major problem throughout America. The Department of Justice reported there are at least 21,500 street gangs, comprised of about 800,000 members in this country. Generally, prison gangs (those formed in prisons) are not included in the Justice Department’s report and are not street gangs, though there are at times overlapping memberships. When the prison gangs are included with the street gangs, The FBI reported there are 1.4 million gang members in the U.S. involved in 33,000 gangs. The FBI said gang members have increased by 40 percent since 2009.
Let’s dispel some myths about street gangs. African Americans do not make up the largest percentage of gang members. A Juvenile Offenders and Victims 2006 National Report (combination of police department and self-reporting) released this data: They estimated 49 percent of gang members were Hispanic, 37 percent were black, eight percent were white, five percent were Asian, and one percent were of other ethnicity. Gangs are a serious problem, regardless of ethnicity, but a solution is more likely to evolve when myths are replaced with facts.
The similarities in gang demographics in Fort Wayne and the national trends are astounding. Fort Wayne Police Chief Randy York reported many of the 23 homicides this year involved gangs. The Department of Justice said in major cities, gang violence is roughly responsible for all homicides. According to the Journal article, 25 organized gangs are listed in the Fort Wayne Departments Annual Report. The report also indicated there is an increase in Hispanic gangs, which corresponds with national averages.
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