They call it Chiraq for a reason.

This is the product of adressing housing wrong and modern segregation. They have a lot of well funded cops, that and prosecutors are responsible, the buck stops there.

Gang members is not really gang soldiers though, right? With a number that big, I think they must be counting a lot of people who wear a gang's merch/colors/etc, but aren't active combatants. At least I hope so.

A fun fact in addition to the above fun fact is that most of the soldiers in Afghanistan were also not active combatants.

All soldiers go through basic training. Can we confirm that these gangsters were at least hazed?

If their organization was legal like NRA which is millions of people that would be something else. A gang is a criminal org so while many carry weapons their main goal is to expand the empire and make money.

Isn't there an element of something similar to sports-team affiliation? Where people superficially align themselves to a gang their friends or family or neighborhood is associated with, but don't actually commit crimes in service to that gang? Like a guy who wears a Cubs hat, but he doesn't play the game.

Maybe but gang initations are usually brutal and hardly ever legal.

On the low end it's more about protection. In that sense gang violence begets gang membership.

They inevitably crop up everywhere where police represent more of a threat than protection. Kind of like the free market springing up to meet demand, in a kind of sick and twisted way.

IIRC, you are correct. gang-bangers are usually the dangerous kind, always strapped and making sure no other gang is crossing/doing business on their blocks. Throwing signs and intimidating is their main duty. Usually come up to you and ask 'Watchu is?' if you have the hoodlum look, ready to war.

Gangmembers are older(and less dangerous by themselves) and some have gone through 'banging', others have joined through other means. They used to have the kids do the banging since laws are more lax on minors, and the kids are usually the hot heads who need to prove themselves. Members count the money and are in charge of administration, when organized proper. Im sure there is more to the heirarchy but usually a member wont come at you by themselves. they send the foot soldiers if they have beef with someone. Members are fairly weak, drugged up, care about the money. They come at you with numbers. Bangers are extremely dangerous by themselves.