Survey shows over 2,000 gang members in Durham, many of them youths
Durham is taking another step toward addressing violent crime and, more specifically, gun violence.
The city's 2021 Gang Assessment Report was presented Wednesday afternoon, something the city hopes could lead to a revised crime reduction and intervention strategy.
In December, Jim Stuit, the Durham Police Department's gang reduction strategy manager, revealed there are at least 2,050 gang members in the city. Stuit also expressed concern that children are joining gangs at younger ages -- even younger than age 12.
The number of crimes committed by juveniles has also increased in Durham. The 2021 report could show what percentage of those crimes is connected to gang activity.
Stuit said data from 2020 shows Durham juveniles are four times more likely to be in a gang or in association compared to their statewide peers.
The new study also revealed some scary numbers:
- 85% of people surveyed say their family members are also involved in gangs
- 34% of high schoolers in Durham report gang activity in their schools
- 19% of middle schoolers in Durham report gang activity in their schools
“When we look at court-involved youth in Durham County, we see that about 25% of them are currently are involved in some kind of a gang. That compares with only 7% of the statewide average,” he said.
The assessment recommends focusing resources on 12 neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime - including around McDougald Terrace and Burton Park.
The gang reduction steering committee reached out to Durham residents over the summer to find out how gang activity was impacting their lives. That information is also expected to be shared Wednesday.
