By District Attorney Dick Perryman
The Georgia Gang Investigators Association recently estimated that there are 71,000 gang members in Georgia spread across approximately 1500 suspected gang networks.
The Bloods, the Crips, SUR 13 and the Gangster Disciples…
Gangs portrayed in TV and movies.
Gangs that exist in L.A., Chicago and New York.
Gangs that sprang into existence far away from here are in South Georgia.
These gangs are here now in our communities and are virtually everywhere.
Across the country, criminal street gangs have infiltrated almost every rural location possible as the violence that began in big cities spills into our small towns.
We are no longer insulated from gang activity. Our small towns are now a part of the big problem of gangs.
We can no longer assume that gang violence is only a “big city” problem.
Gang activity is on the rise here as it is everywhere. Our community has seen gangs involved in everything from illegal gambling to armed robbery and from drugs to murder.
These people target our children for recruitment. Gangs try to bring young people under their control so that they build their ranks and numbers. Just as prosecutors and law enforcement face this new reality, we must all face this reality.
We need to educate ourselves on gangs. How do they recruit new members? Why do our youth join gangs?
We must learn how to battle back against these criminal street gangs. None of us want our community overrun with gangs and their violence, but if we do not take action, then we will be. Some law enforcement officials estimate that gangs are involved in up to 80 percent of the crimes their community’s experience.
And while this statistic is shocking, it does not take into account the effect these gangs and communities have on our families, social structure and sense of well-being. Studies have shown that gang members are more likely to drop out of school, succumb to teen pregnancy and have unstable employment.
Law Enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office and the criminal justice system can only do so much. The rising gang violence will not wait for us. The time is now. It is necessary for us as a community to fight back. As citizens, as parents, as churches, and as neighbors we need to take a stand against these criminal street gangs and their toxic existence
