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A justice department measure of gangs shows nearly 1 million Americans are now actively involved in a gang, and the numbers are on the rise.
It's an attempt to take a comprehensive look at the gang problem, something Tim Fuhrman, FBI Special Agent in Charge at the Salt Lake office, believes poses a national security threat.
The report says gang numbers are up by 200,000 since 2005. "Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me. I mean, I think there's no question that, nationally, we have seen this increase with gang-related crime," Fuhrman said.
The assessment also says as much as 80 percent of crimes in communities are related somehow to gangs, and that the vast majority of that is related to drugs. It says many gangs are involved in drug sales at the retail level.
Fuhrman says the report also points out something we're seeing in Utah: gangs are moving into rural areas in numbers law enforcement has not seen before.
The Salt Lake FBI office has been active in trying to use federal laws to go after people involved in gang crimes. But Fuhrman, like others, say law enforcement is only one part of solving the problem.
E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com
