Perceptions of Youth Crime and Youth Gangs: A Statewide Systemic Investigation

• NCJ Number: 182836
• Author(s): Douglas Yearwood; Richard Hayes
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 104 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS); Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Corporate Author: North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Ctr
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Ctr
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

To identify current and historical perceptions about youth crime in North Carolina and to identify the nature and extent of youth gangs and their influence on the community and in schools, a mail survey was administered to court counselors and detention and training school directors.

Abstract

The 433 returned surveys represented a response rate of 38.1 percent. The 73-item survey was divided into three sections. The first part collected basic demographic information, the second part dealt with youth crime in general and specifically addressed youth crime over the last 5 years, and the third part focused on attributes of youth gangs and gang members. Survey respondents overwhelmingly reported that general youth crime increased over the past 5 years, with 77 percent reporting a noticeable increase. The most striking increases were for drug-related offenses and property crimes, with 72.8 percent reporting an increase in drug crimes and 72 percent reporting an increase in property crimes. Violent crimes were also reported as being slightly more problematic, with 47.6 percent reporting an increase. Survey respondents said juvenile offenders had changed over time and had become more violent, more likely to possess a firearm and use drugs, and more likely to be younger and to engage in a greater amount of group criminal activity. The perceived increase in school-related crime was not as intense as the perceived increase in youth crime in the community. Survey respondents identified 332 distinct gangs in North Carolina that had 5,143 total members. Of the 332 gangs, 171 were reported as being active in schools. About one-third of gangs were composed strictly of blacks, while all white gangs constituted 23 percent of gangs. The most common types of crime attributable to gangs were violent crimes. Graffiti and weapons possession were common practices of school gang members. Recommendations to deal with juvenile gangs in communities and schools are offered. The survey form and supplemental survey data are appended. 64 references, 2 tables, and 19 figures