Gangs in Florida

The increasing prevalence of criminal gangs in our communities poses a growing threat to our safety and security in Florida. In 2010, law enforcement identified and documented 1,400 criminal gangs throughout the urban, suburban, and rural regions of Florida. Gang crime is extremely costly. Criminal gangs too often spread fear and violence in our neighborhoods making our parks unusable, disrupting safe passages to school and work, hindering legitimate businesses including tourism, and decreasing property values. The consequences of gang crimes place an excessive burden on our criminal justice and healthcare systems. Effective solutions to break the cycle of violent gang activity must begin with the active engagement of city, county, and state government, community and faith-based organizations, schools, parents, youth, private residents, and our local law enforcement.

What We Can Do About It?

Acknowledge the problem. Criminal gangs thrive on indifference.

Assess the problem. Before you can find solutions to the gang problems in your community, it is best to understand the nature of the problem. How many gangs and gang members are there in your community? What are they doing? Where are they doing it? Is it an emerging or chronic problem? What sorts of local conditions contribute to your gang problem? Why are young people joining gangs in your community? Information should be gathered from law enforcement, schools, community organizations, and youth, themselves.

Act on the problem. Organize stakeholder groups in your community under the umbrella of the Gang Reduction Task Force in order to stay informed, share information, and collaborate on targeted multi-strategy solutions.