While gang activity is nowhere near as prevalent in South Florida as it is in South California, it should come as little surprised that Miami-Dade has one of the highest gang populations in America, the highest in the Southeast, and the second highest on the entire East Coast.
A new report by the FBI estimates that in 2010 Miami-Dade has 16,684 gang members. That includes 16,646 members of street gangs, and 38 members of motorcycle gangs. On the east coast, only Essex County in New Jersey has more, with an estimated 17,001 gang members (though it has a considerably smaller overall population).
Gangs continue to be a largely Californian phenomenon, however, with Los Angles County having the largest gang population in America.
Broward and Palm Beach Counties are estimated to have gang populations somewhere between 1000 and 5000 members.
Indecently, the reports also shows that Miami-Dade has the second-highest incidence of violent crime in the country. Not all of that crime is gang-related.
The report also highlights the growing threats of gangs operating in illegal immigration, Juggalos, Haitian gangs, and, we kid you not, gangs that operate in the Second Life virtual world.
