NCJ Number
177277
Date Published
1998
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on two research efforts that explore the numbers of gangs in selected Illinois cities, their demographic makeup, the criminal activities in which gang members engage, and strategies that these cities have used to address gangs and gang problems.
Abstract
The National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) conducted a national survey of 4,120 police and sheriffs' departments, including 229 Illinois police agencies, in late 1995 and early 1996. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority expanded on this research in 1996 by conducting telephone interviews with 57 of the Illinois police agencies that had responded to the NYGC survey. Eighty-six percent of surveyed Illinois police jurisdictions and 83 percent of sheriff's departments reported a youth gang problem in 1995. Most of the surveyed Illinois police agencies believed that the gang presence was growing in their city. The telephone survey revealed that most gangs had adopted the name of a big-city gang. In addition, most police officials said they were aware of gang members migrating into or out of their jurisdictions. The majority also indicated that the gangs in their jurisdictions were heavily involved in drug sales. Communities appeared to be using a wide range of programs to intervene and contain gangs and gang activity. The police officials called for a multijurisdictional approach to containing gang criminal activity. Finally, the NYGC has recently completed a second survey, using a stratified, random sample of police and sheriff's jurisdictions to provide a more accurate picture of how communities nationwide are experiencing gangs. Figures, table, footnotes, appended survey instruments and list of names of Illinois street gangs, and 3 references