Harlem I Love You, But Your Gangs Are Bringing Me Down

Last week, 14 juvenile members of Harlem gang the "137th Street Crew" were arrested and hauled into court on a number of charges, including attempted murder and weapons possession. The 137th Street Crew was once known as 2MF (2 Mafia Family), a crew who have been terrorizing the streets of West Harlem for years. But things are even worse in East Harlem.

Police told residents at a recent Community Board 11 meeting that ten out of 13 housing developments within the 23rd and the 25th precincts are turf to gang members. They also said they've identified more than 300 of those local gangbangers, who range in age from 13 to 21. "The residents are afraid. It's bad right now," said 25th Precinct Capt. Nilda Hofmann. "It's a very serious problem. The young people in our community are in a state of emergency. I can see it all the time. It's really sad. It's getting worse," said Board 11 member Nina Saxon. Police said they've begun making surprise visits to parents of the teenage gangbangers (while the kids are in school) to inform them that their kids are in a gang.

East Harlem ranked first in drug-related deaths of any community in the city in 2009, with 22.9 deaths per 100,000, compared to a rate of 8.3 citywide. It was also first in liver disease and cirrhosis, with 15.9 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to a citywide rate of 5.9; it was second in HIV, third in diabetes and third in cancer. Overall, it had the highest death rate, with 8.3 per thousand people; Central Harlem was first with 8.8 deaths per 1,000 people. State Sen. Bill Perkins responded to the numbers: "Who would think, looking at these numbers, that we are in the greatest nation and the greatest city in the world? Clearly, these statistics should alert us to the urgency that we all need to do."