Gangs and the People Who Love Them

Increase In Gang Activity Has Residents Scared
quote:
Eyewitness News has learned that Orange County deputies arrest at least 50 gang members every month. Deputies said the violence is putting innocent people in danger. Deputies were focusing on known gang members who were wanted for violent crimes like armed burglary and battery. Orange County deputies have seen an increase in gang activity on the county's east side.

You will note the address of University Boulevard that is mentioned in the video and the article. Gun Shy has discussed the areas that are close to the universities in previous commentaries such as this one, and also this one. Parents are sending their kids off to get a higher education, not realizing that they are sending them into a combat zone of sorts. Maybe the universities should add mandatory body armor, like health insurance as a prerequisite for enrollment. Below is the breakdown of gang membership racially according to the report:

48% Hispanic

28% Black

24% White

While we are looking at the percentages that make up gang membership according to race, let’s look at some other statistics:

• Total population of the United States: 299 million
• White: 221.3 million or about 74%
• Hispanic or Latino ethnicity: 44.3 million or about 14.8%
• Black or African American: 40.9 million or about 13.4%

At year end 2007 in the United States there were:

• 3,138 Black males sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents
• 1,259 Hispanic males sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents
• 481 White males sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents

The above statistics for incarceration can be viewed here.