This past January, The National Gang Intelligence Center, in conjunction with The National Drug Intelligence Center (they go hand in hand like news media and downsizing, gangs and drugs that is) released their National Gang Threat Assessment for 2009. The assessment is basically a forward-looking intelligence report that summarizes some of the most recent and key statistics available to help law enforcement agencies that have stated goals of reducing gang-related criminal activities. These ‘centers’, by the way, are real deal holyfield government agencies (not basement-level pj non-profits). Which means you and I own them (not really, but really). From what I understand they are cross pollinated with different levels of crimebusters but mostly FBI agents.

They use data, collected from various federal, state and local authorities, to try and extrapolate helpful (to crime-fighters anyway) themes and trends. This report can be helpful to rap fans also. It’s relatively short, which we all know is a plus ’cause reading is not exactly bawse these days, and it holds a wealth of information on some of your favorite rappers’ make-believe associates. You should check it out. And even if you can’t think of a fake rapper persona (I find that hard to believe) that you want to learn more about, you should read it just in case the economic downturn finally hits you and you come to the realization that joining a gang is your only way to gaining financial independence gettin’ that paper (mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money). Like my old temp-recruiter used to say, try and gain familiarity with the organization before you jump in (or in this case, get jumped in).

Some of the main findings are:

-Approximately 1 million gang members belonging to more than 20,000 gangs were criminally active within all 50 states and the District of Columbia as of September 2008.

-Criminal gangs commit as much as 80 percent of the crime in many communities, according to law enforcement officials throughout the nation. Typical gang-related crimes include alien smuggling, armed robbery, assault, auto theft, drug trafficking, extortion, fraud, home invasions, identity theft, murder, and weapons trafficking.

-Gang members are the primary retail-level distributors of most illicit drugs. They also are increasingly dis-tributing wholesale-level quantities of marijuana and cocaine in most urban and suburban communities.

-Some gangs traffic illicit drugs at the regional and national levels; several are capable of competing with U.S.-based Mexican DTOs.

-Many gangs actively use the Internet to recruit new members and to communicate with members in other areas of the United States and in foreign countries.

So, why do I really share this with you? Hidden agenda of course. I’ve already stated how I’ve been stressin’ the potential for an uptick in crime. We don’t want it to get like Mexico around here. And although we can’t exactly say for sure what will happen in the upcoming months and years, this report highlights some of the trends that are already obvious and effed up for many communities. It’s basically just a heads up. Gangs on the rise, you betta recognize. And they continue to “earn the profits essential to maintaining their criminal operations and the lifestyles of their members primarily through drug distribution”. If we take these stats at face value, the policies that comprise this country’s drug prohibition program are fair game for criticism. Why after all these years do prisons continue to swell and gangs grow? Granted, we can’t exactly take everything this report offers without some sense of skepticism. The information is provided by many of the Elliot Ness-types that rely on just-say-no budgetary allotments for their continued existence in the first place. But still. Raise your hand yo! Ask some questions. Go to Obama’s youtube page and drop some comments. Write some raps (unless you suck).

Read: National Gang Threat Assessment 2009

Gangs pose a serious threat to public safety in many communities throughout the United States. Gang members are increasingly migrating from urban to suburban areas and are responsible for a growing per-centage of crime and violence in many communities. Much gang-related criminal activity involves drug trafficking; however, gang members are increasingly engaging in alien and weapons trafficking. Additionally, a rising number of U.S.-based gangs are seemingly intent on developing working relationships with U.S.- and foreign-based drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and other criminal organizations to gain direct access to foreign sources of illicit drugs.