These numbers, compiled by the Miami Dade County Police Department's Street Gang Unit provide a glimpse of the problems faced by the county and the state as they try to cope with curbing the violence generated by these gangs. The major problem associated with this gang activity is that it continues to thrive due to younger people being influenced by it and seeing the money and notoriety that comes from it. .
The National Gang Center reports that the gangs of today are not to be compared with the gangs of yesterday. In the past, gangs were viewed as groups of guys more or less defending their territory. These gangs were more known for settling their disputes with fists and knives instead of using guns. Detective Aquilas Carmona of the Miami Gang Unit states that "he has noticed more firearms on the street, he continues to point out that in the past, he used to see a lot more of just your regular, traditional street fight ". .
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, there is no single activity committed that indicates or guarantees that the community has a gang problem, but there are several community activities that indicate that gangs may be present; including graffiti, senseless crimes of violence, fighting between youths, which more than likely lead to weapon crimes, and most of all complaints from citizens in the community that they feel afraid or intimidated by youths traveling in groups (Fl. Dept. of Corrections). .
Direct effects from gangs on the community include neighborhood disorder. Such disorder affects not only the direct community, it also suggests to any outsiders looking in that the community has no control over itself and has in fact lost its informal social control. These effects have negative impacts on the county and also those who wish to visit the Miami area, since Florida is known for its tourist traffic the gang activity can negatively effect the tourist rates in some areas which leads to communities and businesses being hurt.
