Disaffected youths in virtually every community of any size have moved quickly in recent years to joining gangs which are engaged in widespread criminal and terroristic activities. Government and law enforcement attempts to address this growing problem have been largely ineffective due to politics, social dynamics, mindsets overly concerned with issues of prejudice and racism, and the very ages of the youthful gang members who often still live at home with their parents. Property crimes are the most obvious areas where gangsters are having an impact, but there also is a significant issue with narcotics smuggling and distribution as well as violent crimes in many communities. It seems law enforcement is largely impotent in dealing with this growing issue, and the goals of some of the leadership in these gangs parallels what is happening in Mexico, where criminal gangs have overwhelmed local governments and are emperiling even the national government. While that is all but unlikely to occur successfully in the US, efforts will be made by the more daring and violent gangs to take steps in that direction with assaults and terrorism towards random members of the citizenry as well as law enforcement officers and public officials.http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/01/30/20090130gns-gangs0130.html
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