Survey finds surge in gangs in Georgia – and we’re in the middle of it

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Gang membership in Georgia has risen sharply over the past six years, according to a survey released by a nonprofit organization Friday.

The study did not find an increase in gang violence, but found that agencies report gangs are responsible for about 65% of all crimes in Georgia.

That’s consistent with what the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office told News 12.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit tells us that gang violence is at the root of almost all violent crime here, as well as less violent crimes such as bank fraud and car break-ins.

According to the Georgia Gang Investigators Association, more than 127,000 members and associates will live in Georgia in 2024.

That’s about an 80% increase from the 2018 survey, which found nearly 71,000 participants.

The number of violent gangs also rose from 1,600 to more than 1,900, according to the study.

The increase is “significant and alarming,” the association said, and the numbers are likely much higher. The study pulled data from sheriff’s offices and law enforcement agencies in 86 of Georgia’s 159 counties, leaving 73 unreported.

“The rise in gang membership and violence is a clear sign that we need to take more aggressive and collaborative action to address the growing influence of gangs in Georgia,” GGIA President Jose Ramirez said in a statement. “The results of this study highlight the urgency of implementing comprehensive strategies to protect our communities and provide young people with alternatives to gang life.”

Ramirez noted that gang recruitment among youth is particularly alarming.

“They promote a gang lifestyle that is ultimately a psychological trap under the guise of love, acceptance and power,” he said.

The study found that gang violence occurs throughout Georgia, whether in rural areas or populated areas.

In Richmond County

The CSRA has become embroiled in a cycle of violent crime that has claimed more than 180 lives in the past two years.

Behind these crimes is a drug and gun situation going on in Richmond County, Richmond County deputies told News 12 several weeks ago.

Hundreds of pounds of drugs, hundreds of guns and millions of dollars in cash were found around Richmond County.

Investigators are tracking how much money, drugs and weapons were seized during the search.

Data kept by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office tells the story of what law enforcement faces.

From 2018 to May 2024, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office seized $4,348,817 from search warrants alone. This also includes at least 1,152 guns and 226 vehicles.

Over the past six years, there have been more than 2,500 arrests and nearly 2,000 criminal offenses.

In terms of drug seizures, 39 pounds have been recovered since 2021, when deputies began tracking fentanyl seizures.

Since 2021, this number has increased sharply.

This figure doubled from 2022 to 2023, and will increase again this year.

Since 2018, investigators have seized more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana, 166 pounds of methamphetamine, 166 pounds of cocaine and nearly 6,000 oxycodone pills.

In Georgia

In 2022, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr created the state’s Gang Prosecution Unit, resulting in the convictions of 48 gang members to date.

“When it comes to protecting our children, we must double and triple our anti-recruitment efforts across the board, and we must continue to ensure that our law enforcement officials have the necessary training and resources to build strong cases that will ultimately lead to safer communities,” Carr said.

The survey is based only on data provided to the nonprofit, Ramirez said. He thinks a good next step would be for the state to track data on gang violence, which would provide a more complete picture.

Copyright: WRDW/WAGT 2024. All rights reserved.