what the fuck would be the problem why it would raise so high....
Number of local gang members jumps by nearly 3,000 since 2006
BY STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writer
[email protected] | Thursday, Aug 27 2009 05:26 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Aug 27 2009 05:27 PM
Kern County Gang Members
2006 -- 4,571
2007 -- 5,562
2008 -- 6,891
2009 -- 7,477
The number of gang members in Kern County has skyrocketed 63 percent in the last four years, police said Thursday.
Gang members and associates went from nearly 4,600 in 2006 to nearly 7,500 this year.
Gang experts say we shouldn't panic.
Part of the increase is because police are doing a better job of tracking which criminals are in gangs.
Plus many of those added to the list in the last few years are already behind bars.
As proof they point out that, the number of gang shootings and homicides have remained relatively steady in recent years.
That's an indication the communities don't have a sudden boost in gang members walking the streets, the experts said.
The city had a spike in homicides and shootings in 2005, but since then the violence has been relatively stable. The city has had a jump in gang homicides this year, but Sheriff Donny Youngblood said the county has seen a reduction in gang homicides and shootings.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he's reluctant to take credit for reductions in those areas because they are so unpredictable.
A big concern for the city is that 14 of its 16 unlawful homicides this year are gang related, Mullins said. The county has only 10 gang related homicides among 28 overall.
Still, Youngblood and Lt. Joe Mullins, head of the city's gang unit, said gang officers are doing their best to discourage violence.
"If we see three or four gang members walking together in east Bakersfield, we're going to stop them and ask what they're doing," Youngblood said.
So how are they finding all these gang members?
Gang officers in both departments are getting help from patrol officers and jail staff in documenting gang members and associates, gang unit leaders said.
Identifying gang members is an ongoing and complicated process, Mullins said.
Officers have to see if the potential gang member has admitted being in a gang, has gang tattoos or clothing with gang names on it, or has been caught with other gang members in a crime.
Then if a defendant faces gang charges, an expert has to testify about what makes him a gang member.
"It's a time consuming process because it has to be done for each person," said Lt. Russ Albro, head of the sheriff's gang unit.
And just because someone was identified as a gang member a few years ago doesn't mean he would be identified now, Mullins said.
Outlying cities are also actively identifying gang members, Albro said.
He said an effort will be made in coming weeks to break down how many gang members are in each community.
Thursday's announcement was made at a joint city/county committee meeting on gang violence. County Supervisor Mike Maggard, a committee member, asked for an analysis of the numbers at the group's next quarterly meeting.
Number of local gang members jumps by nearly 3,000 since 2006
BY STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writer
[email protected] | Thursday, Aug 27 2009 05:26 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Aug 27 2009 05:27 PM
Kern County Gang Members
2006 -- 4,571
2007 -- 5,562
2008 -- 6,891
2009 -- 7,477
The number of gang members in Kern County has skyrocketed 63 percent in the last four years, police said Thursday.
Gang members and associates went from nearly 4,600 in 2006 to nearly 7,500 this year.
Gang experts say we shouldn't panic.
Part of the increase is because police are doing a better job of tracking which criminals are in gangs.
Plus many of those added to the list in the last few years are already behind bars.
As proof they point out that, the number of gang shootings and homicides have remained relatively steady in recent years.
That's an indication the communities don't have a sudden boost in gang members walking the streets, the experts said.
The city had a spike in homicides and shootings in 2005, but since then the violence has been relatively stable. The city has had a jump in gang homicides this year, but Sheriff Donny Youngblood said the county has seen a reduction in gang homicides and shootings.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he's reluctant to take credit for reductions in those areas because they are so unpredictable.
A big concern for the city is that 14 of its 16 unlawful homicides this year are gang related, Mullins said. The county has only 10 gang related homicides among 28 overall.
Still, Youngblood and Lt. Joe Mullins, head of the city's gang unit, said gang officers are doing their best to discourage violence.
"If we see three or four gang members walking together in east Bakersfield, we're going to stop them and ask what they're doing," Youngblood said.
So how are they finding all these gang members?
Gang officers in both departments are getting help from patrol officers and jail staff in documenting gang members and associates, gang unit leaders said.
Identifying gang members is an ongoing and complicated process, Mullins said.
Officers have to see if the potential gang member has admitted being in a gang, has gang tattoos or clothing with gang names on it, or has been caught with other gang members in a crime.
Then if a defendant faces gang charges, an expert has to testify about what makes him a gang member.
"It's a time consuming process because it has to be done for each person," said Lt. Russ Albro, head of the sheriff's gang unit.
And just because someone was identified as a gang member a few years ago doesn't mean he would be identified now, Mullins said.
Outlying cities are also actively identifying gang members, Albro said.
He said an effort will be made in coming weeks to break down how many gang members are in each community.
Thursday's announcement was made at a joint city/county committee meeting on gang violence. County Supervisor Mike Maggard, a committee member, asked for an analysis of the numbers at the group's next quarterly meeting.
