Hispanic Gangs in Cobb
County, GA
PADM 7240
James Herndon
June 14, 2005
Table of Contents
The Problem
Slides 3-7
Organizations
Slides 8-9
Cooperation
Slides 11-12
Improvements
Slide 13
Works Cited
Slide 14
The Problem
(US Department of Labor)
• Many do not speak English.
• Good paying jobs are hard to
find, especially for those who
have illegally entered the U.S.
• Many do not attend schools or
only attend for only a short time
before dropping out.
• They lack options and
resources to become
productive members of the
community.
Sureno 13 members
• Cobb County, GA has a current
Hispanic population of more
than 50,000 according to the
2000 census and a transient
undocumented population that
may exceed 160,000
Pictures courtesy of Cobb County C.A.G.E unit
• New Hispanic residents are
forced into lower income
areas of the county due to
lack of resources and being
illegal aliens.
• Many new residents face
the challenge of keeping
their kids away from gangs
that already exist in the
area.
• Many newcomers are gang
members who have been
forced to move but bring
their gang affiliation with
them to Cobb County.
Mara Salvatrucha rally in El Salvador
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
• Many juveniles find their safety at
risk by NOT being a member of a
gang in their neighborhood.
• Hispanic Gangs are unique in that
they have members in all 17 high
schools in the county.
• Cobb County has the 2nd largest
school system in the state and the
30th largest nationally according to
the school district with more than
102,000 students in the school
system.
• Gang members presence in the
local jail has risen by over 340% in
the past 5 years according to Cobb
Sheriff records.
• Hispanic Population has increased
by 650% in the county according to
the GCIR (slide 14) while the Hispanic
population in GA has increased
300%. ( 2000 US Census)
Mara Salvatrucha or “MS 13” Gang member
Picture from associated press 2005
• Culture and language barriers
prevent traditional means of
intervention in school and law
enforcement from working. Basic
distrust of law enforcement and
government entities prevent
solutions.
• Based on hundreds of interviews
I have conducted it seems that
many turn to gangs as a form of
employment, entertainment and
the appeal of the gang culture.
Westside Norteno 14 in Cobb County
Picture Confiscated during arrest 09/20/2003
• Some gang members in Cobb
county are 5 and 6th generation
members, having moved from
the western United States.
• Behaviors are ingrained to the
point it is an acceptable part of
their culture.
Mara Salvatrucha Gang member
Associated Press 2004
• In Cobb County, the CAGE Unit,
Cobb Anti Gang Enforcement, has
identified more than 35 different
gangs and more than 1,000 gang
members.
• 90% percent of the gang members in
Cobb County are Hispanic or Latino,
5 percent are African American or
Black and the remaining 5 percent
are made up of other groups.
(CAGE, 2004)
• Based on interviews it is a fact in
Cobb County that Hispanic gangs
start recruiting at an earlier age than
other metro Atlanta gangs due to
many Hispanic juveniles not
attending school and dropping out at
an early age.
• No one monitors or looks for a child
when they drop out of school if they
are an illegal alien.
Picture Courtesy of Cobb CAGE Unit 2005
Organizations
•
Local law enforcement agencies: Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Marietta,
Powder Springs, Smyrna, Cobb Police, Cobb Sheriff
•
The local agencies in Cobb county have a single database to track
and identify gang members.
•
Sheriff’s Deputies and Police officers are stationed in most high
schools and some primary schools.
•
The Cobb Anti Gang Unit gives presentations to local communities to
educate them on the ill effects of gangs and how to help combat the
violence that arises from gang activity.
•
Adult and Juvenile probation give presentations and speak with at
risk children about the dangers of gang life.
• Cobb County Schools
School system has counselors specializing in helping immigrant
Hispanic families find resources for education and basic needs. This
includes English as a second language classes and individualized
education plans.
• Must Ministries
Provides assistance for those needing shelter, food and financial
resources to get back on their feet.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of America Gang
Intervention
Provides mentoring by former gang members and community
volunteers to steer kids toward positive activities. Keeps Kids busy
and happy, two antidotes to gang life!
• Cobb County
Community Services
Board
Provides counseling and assistance
to Hispanic community.
Eighteenth Street Gang Member
Picture from Cobb CAGE unit 2004
• Cobb County DFACS
Assists at-risk children, adults, and
families to achieve stability, good
health, security, self-reliance, and
over all well being.
La Raza book cover 2005
Courtesy Marco Silva Gwinnett County Police Department
Working Together
• Law enforcement and non profits are
have distinctly different roles. Law
enforcement does just that, they enforce
the law.
• Non profits are better able to reach
children before they join gangs.
• Hispanic immigrants communities tend to
be Catholic. Priests and community
leaders are able to educate youth and
parents on the dangers of gangs in a
forum unreachable by the police through
outreach programs provided by the
church.
• The church also allows a “friendly” place
to introduce local government leaders to
the Hispanic community.
18th Street mural
Courtesy LAPD gang unit
Date unknown
• Donations of equipment, such as computers and furniture are
transferred from the county government surplus to non-profits for
use in after school programs such as the Boys & Girls clubs to keep
kids occupied and out of trouble.
• Cooperation is difficult at times due to funding of each organization.
• Government and Law enforcement compete for ideas of how grants
should be used to combat gang activity.
• Government relies on taxes while non profits rely on donations.
• Competing interests are at hand. Law enforcement wants to reduce
crime and clean up the community by being aggressive. The non
profits are passive in their approach and want to help all in the
community, even those who are deemed criminal.
Improvements
• Non profits and government need to work
together to obtain the maximum amount of
grants and local funds.
• Government needs to work with churches,
crisis intervention centers and other private
individuals to have the maximum effect on
gang activity.
• Reaching school age children is essential
and must be accomplished by sometimes
going outside of traditional governmental
means such as local churches and civic
centers.
• Law enforcement and non profits must
cooperate not compete!
Works Cited
Cobb County School District
http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/
Cobb County Police Department, Cobb Anti Gang Enforcement
June,2005
Grant Makers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR)
http://www.gcir.org/about_immigration/us_counties.htm
U.S. Census, Cobb County GA 2000
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13067.html
Personal Interviews of more than 800 gang members at the Cobb County Adult
Detention Center 2002 – 2005 Deputy JJ Herndon
Statistical Intake Profiles by Race at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center
1999-2004, Deputy JJ Herndon
Must Ministries, Part of Catholic Charities of Atlanta
I have visited this organization and worked with them on numerous occasions both on
the “job” and off. 2001-2005 JJ Herndon
Cobb County Government
Website detailing donations made by the Cobb County Government to charity
http://www.cobbcounty.org/boc/boards_auth.htm