Gang member numbers dwindling in Denmark

Number of registered members down by 26 percent in just four years

According to a new report from the Justice Ministry, membership numbers at  gangs and motorcycle gangs is at its lowest for five years.

The report found that about 1,400 people were registered as gang members in Denmark – about 500 fewer than was the case four years ago when membership numbers peaked.

“It’s pleasing that many gang members and motorcycle gang members are leaving the environment and not returning,” said the Justice Minister, Søren Pind.

“We as a society must support them in that. But we still see many new members joining up and there still exists a small hardcore group. We’ll take a look at that later in the year when we begin work on a new gang package.”

READ MORE: Foreign biker gangs setting up shop in Denmark

324 hard core members
The report (here in Danish) showed that despite new members being recruited, the majority leave again within a few years, and they do so permanently.

The report is based on figures regarding gang members who have been registered on the police investigative database (PED) from June 2009 to April 2016. Just 324 people have remained members through that period.

The statistics also found that new gang recruits are rarely under the age of 18.

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