@ Cookcounty

The rough estimates of the city's gang population decade by decade from different sources. From that book R World, elsewhere around 50K in 1980. The 1980 census show Chicago's Black community at it's peak of 1.1+ Million and the Latino community was at 470+K. Back then you still have White gangs with large numbers albeit declining such as Gaylards , SCR, & few others. GL was one of the largest in the mid to late 70s with 2,500 members or so. LK have already been the largest latino gang then a toss up between Stones, VLs, & BGD as the largest black gang. Numbers from the Chicago Tribune archives of the mid to late 70s place the largest gang around 5K. Fast forward to early 90s, the police estimated the gang population at 38K and half belongs to GD, VL, LK, & LD. In 95 Operation Headache hit the GDs leadership and a ledger was recovered with the full hierarchy, territories, & membership. Court documents stated GDs had 7K foot soldiers in that case, plus an eairlier profile placed the GDN in Chicago at 6K members & stated the largest mob in the city.