Hyde Park Condo

TAKE NOTE: Rise in Street Gangs in Montgomery County

Aug 04, 2009

The Gazette Newspaper just released a report on ?“Violent Gang Crime on the Rise in Montgomery County?” (July 22, 2009 issue). It is time for the community to take heed and pay more attention to what is going on. If you are a parent or teacher and you think that gangs couldn't be present in our neighborhood, think again. Though gangs are more prevalent in larger cities, they are rapidly expanding into smaller cities and towns. How exactly do you distinguish a gang? The Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the FBI, describes a street gang as, "A criminal enterprise having an organizational structure, acting as a continuing criminal conspiracy, which employs violence and any other criminal activity to sustain the enterprise." In other words, a gang is an organization whose purpose is criminal activity and violence.
Most street gangs are made up of teens and young adults that act together to commit criminal acts. Most gangs, but not all, sell drugs. Others commit other crimes to support themselves and the gang, such as robberies and prostitution. Usually, a gang claims a certain neighborhood, street or area as their "turf," and they defend it as if at war for the property. Each gang has their own laws and customs within the gang. Gangs can be identified by their clothing, the way they wear it, as well as the colors, tattoos, graffiti and hand signs.
What are some other signs that signify gang involvement of youth?
1. Friends are known or believed to be gang members
2. TATTOOS, possibly self-inflicted
3. Using a nickname or attaching a prefix or "pet" name to their own name
4. Gang graffiti on school books or book backs and on community property
5. Using hand signals when talking to their friends
6. Spending a lot of time away from home
7. Having money or material possessions that they shouldn't have.
8. Showing signs of physical injuries with a poor excuse for how they got them (could be the result of being "jumped in")
9. Getting in trouble with the law
10. Losing interest or dropping out of school
If someone displays one or even several of these signs, it does not necessarily mean that they are in a gang. The Rap Music culture has made the wearing of baggy, over-sized clothing popular among teenagers. Clothing alone should not be a sole basis for determining gang activity. For more information on gangs or for specific information on gang activity in your area, contact the local police department. Do not be afraid of reporting gang activity in our community. We must be proactive and not passive. IF IT IS NOT REPORTED, GANG ACTIVITY WILL FLOURISH IN THE COMMUNITY! Take photos, go on community walks to observe the goings-on in our surroundings, write down license plate numbers and report any suspicious activity and/or vehicles to the police immediately. Both Gaithersburg and Montgomery County Police have Gang Investigation Units.