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National Gang Intelligence Center |
The dynamics of gang activity vary significantly in each of the seven NGIC/GangTECC regions. (See Figure 1.) The following regional summaries, organized alphabetically, provide overviews of the current gang situation in each region, highlighting major issues of concern to law enforcement.
More than 5,800 gangs with approximately 222,400 members are criminally active in the Central Region, according to NDTS 2008 data and interviews with local law enforcement officials. (See Figure 5.) Also according to NDTS data, the percentage of state and local law enforcement agencies in the Central Region that report gang activity in their jurisdictions increased from 45 percent in 2004 to 55 percent in 2008. Gangs are responsible for as much as 50 percent of the crime in some locations, according to local law enforcement officials. The most significant gangs operating in the Central Region are Chicago-based Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings, Vice Lords, and Black P. Stones. (See Appendix B.)
Figure 5. Central Region gang membership by county.
Gang-related trends:
- Gangs, particularly those with younger gang members, are responsible for an increasing percentage of crime in the region.
- Hispanic gangs in the Central Region are assuming a larger role in wholesale drug distribution.
Predictive NGIC/NDIC intelligence:
- As West Coast-based Hispanic gangs, particularly southern California-based Sureņos 13 gangs, expand their presence in the Central Region,6 gang-related violence associated with drug distribution territories very likely will increase.
- Chicago-based gangs will continue to dominate retail-level drug distribution in most urban areas of the Central Region.
- Chicago-based gangs will expand their presence in more suburban areas in the Central Region as a result of gang member migration from urban to suburban areas.
- Chicago-based gangs will develop direct access to drug sources of supply in Mexico.
6. Gang migration from California to other areas of the country may also be the result of the three strikes law in California.
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