The Most Dangerous Gang in South Jersey is Fairly New

Let's talk about one of the not so savory things about New Jersey: Crime. In this case, . There's probably more gang groups that you would guess in New Jersey, and they all vary in size and threat level depending of what region of New Jersey you're in North, Central and South Jersey.

"Gangs in New Jersey vary in their degree of organization and structure. Although it has not completely disappeared, it appears to be increasingly less common for gangs to be highly structured criminal groups. Rather, loose affiliations dominate, and gang members are often involved in their own criminal activity as opposed to engaging in criminal activity in the name of the gang.

There is a recent movement toward gang hybridization, and neighborhood based gangs continue to become more common." First, let's define South Jersey. For the purpose of this assessment, South Jersey is comprised of these counties: According to the , the most threatening gang in South Jersey is (OTF).

And if you're familiar with South Jersey at all, you won't be surprised in the least to learn where this gang originated: . The OTF gang is fairly new. They originated in Camden around , but they didn't just spring up out of nowhere. They branched out from other, more well known gangs in New Jersey, like The Bloods.

The assessment describes them as "extremely violent." In 2017, there was only an estimated of OTF, comprised mostly of male and female juveniles that have developed personal relationships. They have violent rivalries with the Crips and FTF. They've been liked to crime investigations involving and .

Let's be clear: . There's nothing pretty about gang life, so the more you know what to be wary of when you come across suspicious folks, the better. You can check out the for resources and information. Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt & The Associated Press Gallery Credit: Vin Ebenau.