NCJ Number
169879
Date Published
1997
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes a study that examined the behaviors that put youth at risk for serious delinquency, such as gang membership, in Hawaii, and it places these behaviors in a larger ethnic, gender, and class framework; the reasons for juvenile involvement in gangs are explored.
Abstract
The findings show that Hawaii has a persistent but relatively stable gang problem and that agencies are serving the youth at high risk for gang membership. Gang membership is significantly related to all forms of delinquent behavior, particularly violent behavior. The study also found high levels of self-reported violence among non-gang youth and that gangs are considered "cool" by typical Hawaii youth. Adult perceptions of gang membership are likely influenced by the media rather than by direct experience. A study of media coverage of delinquency and gangs found that it suggests that youth crime and gang crime are more prevalent and serious than police data show. It is important that a balanced approach to prevention, intervention, and suppression be maintained, particularly since the evidence suggests that this current approach has prevented a dramatic escalation of gang problems during the nineties. The Youth Gang Response System is a robust, mature system that has recently experienced an infusion of new energy and focus. Data show that the agencies funded by the Office of Youth Services, which administers the system, are serving youth at considerable risk for gang involvement. 4 tables and 1 reference