The number and spread of gangs in the US seems to be growing very quickly. According to WordPopulationReview.com, gang violence is linked to almost half of all violent crimes that happen in towns across the country. The National Gang Center says there are more than 30,000 different gangs in the United States that work in and between states.
You might think this is mostly a city problem, and you’d be mostly right. About 41.6% of all gangs are in big towns, while 25.8% are in the suburbs. But gang violence has a big effect on even small towns and rural counties. Let’s look at the places in the US with the most gangs using the most recent crime data.
The Worst Gangs in America
There are gangs in every place in the US, and the number of them keeps growing. So, the list of the worst gang towns changes all the time. But if a city has a problem, it’s likely to stay bad for a while. There are many kinds of gangs, so if you live in one of these places, find out what kind of gangs affect you.
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Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles is on every list of the places with the most gangs. It’s likely that the City of Angels will stay at the top of this list for the next 100 years unless big changes are made. The city has a long and violent past with gangs that have become so integrated into the people who live there.
At the end of 2022, for example, ABC News said that Los Angeles was under attack by bloodshed between different gangs. The story came after five days of shootings that killed fourteen people. The fighting started in gangs and spread to other people.
It’s shocking that there are about 150,000 gang members in Los Angeles. They are thought to be responsible for 25% to 50% of the city’s murders each year. A lot of the bloodshed is caused by drug use and rivalries between gangs. Every year, about 29,000 serious crimes and about 95,000 property crimes happen here.
Atlanta, GA
There is a page on Law.Georgia.gov that is all about organized crime. The page says that gangs are involved in almost half of all serious crimes. In Georgia, gangs actively look for new members. There are thought to be over 1,500 networks in the state. In the city, there are gangs like the Bloods and the Latin Kings.
WSBTV said in May 2022 that gang violence is to blame for between 75% and 80% of Atlanta’s crimes. The DA for Fulton County even said, “This is a land mine.” The fact that over 40% of people in many neighborhoods live in poverty is probably a big part of the problem.
Also Read: These Most Dangerous Cities of America Gets an Upgrade in 2024
Oakland, CA
Even though Oakland is a pricey place to live, the rising crime around them doesn’t spare those who live there. In fact, gangs might be drawn to these areas because they are rich, and they might hit places that weren’t affected by gangs in the past.
For instance, in September 2022, Edsource.org published an article about a recent shooting at a nearby school that was linked to gangs. It’s clear that many kids don’t feel safe going to Oakland’s schools, even though most of them get pretty good grades.
Washington, DC
There is gang violence in a city that was built to protect Americans. This may be upsetting to think about, but it’s a fact. Washington, D.C., has a violent crime rate of almost 10%, making it safer than only 2% of the country. It has been known for a long time to be one of the most dangerous places in the country.
A new study of most of the city’s gun crime comes from a small group of people, which is interesting to read on DCIST.com. In fact, the number of people who are involved has been cut down to about 500. Do you think that sounds like a gang? Sad that so few people can have such an effect on so many.
Stockton, CA
The city of Stockton doesn’t try to hide the fact that it has one of the most gang-filled towns in the country. They talk about it right on the website for the City of Stockton. They also talk about action and warning signs so that parents and residents can stay safe if they see anything fishy.
A lot of this could be because the city’s schools aren’t very good. On their “Great Schools” website, many schools are ranked 5 or 6, which means that a lot of kids may turn to gangs when they need help. In fact, every year there are almost 4,100 serious crimes in Stockton.
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