Fighting gang violence in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – Like most places, gangs exist in Utah, but law enforcement faces some unique challenges in combating gang violence in the Beehive State.

“Utah is unique compared to the rest of the country,” said Lt. Nate Hutchinson of the Salt Lake Area Gang Project. “Yes, Utah does indeed have a gang problem. We can’t close our eyes and just pretend and hope it goes away. We’ll have to deal with it.”

Hutchinson said gangs in Utah tend to be geographically dispersed. Most other places where there is gang activity are defined by neighborhoods or blocks or some other unifying feature.

Children at particular risk are socially isolated and do not have the support of family or friends and fall victim to gangs, Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said gang leaders take advantage of children because they are generally charged as juveniles rather than adults.

“Anyone who is vulnerable, this one [gangs] will take advantage,” Hutchinson said.

A bill that would increase penalties for gang leaders is expected to be introduced in the Legislature next session. One resource for at-risk children is Choosegangfree.com

Utah’s gang landscape not only presents a challenge for law enforcement, but is also a problem for people who may not realize that seemingly minor disagreements can quickly escalate into gang activity.

Signs of gang activity

Hutchinson encourages people to contact police if they see signs of gang activity in their area.

“We have seen cases where individuals may not have known that the people they have a problem with were in a gang, and gang violence suddenly occurred,” Hutchinson said.

He said Utahns should not live in fear but should know how and when to take action. Reporting gang activity can be as easy as reporting graffiti.

Signs parents can look for if they suspect their child is in a gang include sudden changes in their child’s friends, a change in his clothing, and sudden rule breaking at home.