MINISTER of National Security Senator Dwight Nelson says Government is implementing legislation aimed at dismantling criminal gangs who are responsible for most of the murders committed in the island.

In an address to the State of the Nation Debate in Gordon House Friday, Nelson said Cabinet has already been informed and discussions were held with Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dorothy Lightbourne.

“Based on intelligence, a comprehensive Gang Reduction Strategy has been developed and is being implemented as part of efforts to reduce crime and dismantle these criminal networks,” Nelson said.

The security minister said 3,823 persons made up 268 criminal gangs operating in the country and most of them were based in the police divisions in Kingston and St Andrew, St James, Clarendon and St Catherine and accounted for 74 per cent of the total number of gangs reported.

More than 10,000 Jamaicans have been murdered in the past decade and police statistics indicate that the vast majority were as a result of gang violence.

These gangs, according to Nelson, have amassed significant resources and large arsenals of arms and ammunition with which they challenge the security forces with impunity.

He named the One Order, Klansman, Umbrella and Rat Bat gangs as the more organised criminal networks wreaking havoc in the country.

The average age of leadership in gangs was between 25 and 30 years, Nelson said.

Nelson said the new legislation is designed to, among other things: target, infiltrate and dismantle criminal gangs; identify and arrest all members of the criminal gangs; impose longer sentences on gang members; and develop intelligence as to each member’s association with the gang and their participation, directly or indirectly, in the gang.

Last Monday, during the Observer’s Monday Exchange meeting at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters, Acting Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Glenmore Hinds, chided the Government for dragging its feet in upgrading existing domestic laws to give crime fighters more ammunition to tackle criminals.

But Nelson said the Government was intent on speeding up the revision of the Bail; Offences Against the Person; Constabulary Force Interim Provisions for Arrests and Detention; Parole; Evidence; Firearm; Immigration and Citizenship; Proceeds of Crime; Evidence and Fingerprint acts by March this year.