Editing Gang (section)

==Typical activities==
[[File:Marasalvatrucha13arrest.png|thumb|[[Mara Salvatrucha]] suspect bearing gang tattoos is handcuffed. In 2004, the [[FBI]] created the [[MS-13]] National Gang Task Force to combat gang activity in the United States. A year later, the FBI helped create [[National Gang Intelligence Center]].]]

The [[United Nations]] estimates that gangs make most of their money through the [[illegal drug trade|drugs trade]], which is thought to be worth $352 billion in total.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor | date=December 13, 2009 | access-date=May 3, 2010 | first=Rajeev | last=Syal}}</ref> The [[United States Department of Justice]] estimates there are approximately 30,000 gangs, with 760,000 members, impacting 2,500 communities across the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200601.pdf |title=Highlights of the 2004 National Youth gang Survey |publisher=Ncjrs.gov |access-date=2012-10-24}}</ref>

Gangs are involved in all areas of street-crime activities like [[extortion]], drug trafficking,<ref name="justice.gov">{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/ndic-moved.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122012823/http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs31/31379/gangs.htm#Top|url-status=dead|title=U.S. Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC)|archivedate=January 22, 2012|website=www.justice.gov}}</ref> both in and outside the prison system, and [[theft]]. Gangs also victimize individuals by [[robbery]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6452688/Organized_crime |title=Organized_crime |work=source <!-- |access-date=2009 --> |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230043553/http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6452688/Organized_crime |archive-date=2016-12-30 }}</ref> [[Cocaine]] is the primary drug of distribution by gangs in America, which have used the cities [[Chicago]], [[Cape Town]], and [[Rio de Janeiro]] to transport drugs internationally.<ref>{{harvnb|Hagedorn|2008|p=14}}</ref> Brazilian urbanization has driven the drug trade to the [[favela]]s of Rio. Often, gangs hire "lookouts" to warn members of upcoming law enforcement. The dense environments of favelas in Rio and public housing projects in Chicago have helped gang members hide from police easily.<ref>{{harvnb|Hagedorn|2008|pp=14–15}}</ref>

Street gangs take over territory or "turf" in a particular city and are often involved in "[[protection racket|providing protection]]", often a thin cover for extortion, as the "protection" is usually from the gang itself, or in other criminal activity. Many gangs use [[front organization|fronts]] to demonstrate influence and gain revenue in a particular area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trincoll.edu/~anselmi/ChildDevelopment/solutions/2006%20Fall%20-%20Gang%20Involvement.pdf |title=Gang influence and gain revenue |work=source <!-- |access-date=2009 --> |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524043553/http://www.trincoll.edu/~anselmi/ChildDevelopment/solutions/2006%20Fall%20-%20Gang%20Involvement.pdf |archive-date=2014-05-24 }}</ref>