ABOUT THE OC GANG PROBLEM
“I spent most of my career putting people in jail. It’s incredibly rewarding to work with a program where I get to send kids to college instead.”
— Detective Kevin Ruiz, OC GRIP
Orange County’s Youth at Risk
In Orange County, there are more than 13,000 documented gang members.
Minors are exposed to criminal street gangs as young as 8 years old. Orange County Gang Experts agree the average age that minors are pressured to join a criminal gang is from 8 to 14 years old.
Residents in gang communities live in constant fear of random violence and crimes committed by the gang members. In 2014, an 8 year old little girl was killed while riding her bicycle in front of her home by gang members shooting at rivals in broad daylight.
The common crimes committed by Orange County Gang Members are murders, attempted murders, weapons violations, narcotics, burglaries, robberies, assaults, carjacking and rapes.
The Problem: Criminal Street Gangs in Orange County
GANG MURDERS COMMITTED IN ORANGE COUNTY IN 2018-2019 – 19
- Santa Ana Police Department: 12
- Orange County Sheriff Department Territory: 2
- Unincorporated Anaheim: 1
- Lake Forest: 1
- La Habra Police Department: 1
- Fullerton Police Department: 1
- Anaheim Police Department: 3
VIOLENT GANG CRIMES – 2018 to 2019
- Attempted Homicide: 60
- Assault: 205
- Robbery: 42
- Weapon (gun): 179
- All other weapons: 41
- Grand Theft Auto: 63
- Narcotics: 85
- Vandalism: 81
*YOUTH WHO BECOME CRIMINALS COST THE COMMUNITY
through Age 12
through Age 14
over a lifetime ($5.7 mil)
*Vanderbilt University – New Evidence on the Monetary Value of Saving a High Risk Youth
Struggles of GRIP Students
Most of the students receiving OC GRIP services live in neighborhoods controlled by criminal street gangs. Many of the OC GRIP students have family members who have been impacted by criminal street gangs.
Many of the OC GRIP students face a variety of barriers to succeed in attendance, academics and attitude. Most OC GRIP students have never played on a sports team, been to a camp, or participated in an afterschool program. OC GRIP students are referred to the OC GRIP team because of poor grades, truancy issues and behavior problems. A majority of the students report to the team that they have no self-confidence or hope for their futures and have been terrorized by gang members.