Gangs have been glamorized in movies such as “West Side Story,” “Gangs of New York,” “Goodfellas,” “American Gangster,” and “Boyz n the Hood.”
But beyond Hollywood, poisonous gang activities are taking place throughout American communities, schools, prisons, shopping malls, and even the military.
FBI Concerns
According to the FBI, there are some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs with about 1.4 million members criminally active in America.
Many of these gangs are highly sophisticated and organized, using violence for control.
Illegal moneymaking activities include robbery, gun and drug trafficking, fraud, white-collar crime, extortion, and prostitution.
Gangs also exploit the most advanced technologies and social media for recruitment, communication, targeting enemies, and advancing criminal activities.
