NCJ Number
147326
Date Published
1992
Length
80 pages
Annotation
The history of street gangs in the United States is reviewed, and the nature of and potential solutions to gang-related violence are addressed.
Abstract
Statistics indicate that entire neighborhoods have become battle zones due to gang activities. In the past 10 years, for example, more than 3,500 people have died in gang violence in Los Angeles alone. In Chicago, 11 percent of homicides in 1990 were gang-related. The historical review of street gangs in the United States demonstrates that gangs result from poverty, discrimination, and urban deterioration. Although gangs are generally more prevalent in large metropolitan areas, gang activities also occur in medium and small cities. Gangs tend to form in poor neighborhoods, and young people who have little hope of finding work sometimes turn to gangs as a way of earning a living. The need for protection and respect and the desire to find a sense of family also draw some youth into gangs. Rituals and symbols associated with gangs are noted, and violent and drug-related crimes committed by gang members are examined. Potential solutions to the gang problem are identified that focus on social service agencies, grass roots organizations, community involvement, individual efforts, community groups, and law enforcement. References and photographs