Fairbanks Gang Assessment

• NCJ Number: 230986
• Author(s): Khristy Parker, B.A.; Jennifer McMullen, M.A.; Andre Rosay, Ph.D.; Shea Daniels, B.S.W.
• Date Published: May 2010
• Length: 111 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2007-JV-FX-0331
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice
• Corporate Author: University of Alaska
• Sale Source: University of Alaska
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This assessment of the gang problem in Fairbanks, AK, includes a review of relevant community demographic data, law enforcement data, student and school data, and community-perceptions data.

Abstract

The community demographic data focus on Fairbanks North Star Borough, which is a predominantly Caucasian community of nearly 100,000 residents. This borough contains a higher percentage of Alaska Natives and American Indians (7 percent) than in the lower States (1 percent). Thirty-one percent of the population is under 20 years old. Other demographic data on this borough address household income, unemployment, residents' educational level, and the stability of the population. Regarding law enforcement data, the number of gang-involved crimes is likely to be underestimated; however, law enforcement data provide important descriptions of gang-involved crime. Law enforcement data indicate that there are at least 12 active gangs in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Ninety-four percent of law enforcement contacts with gang members involved three gangs: Crips (58 percent of law enforcement contacts), Bloods (21 percent of law enforcement contacts), and Gangster Disciples (15 percent of law enforcement contacts). The percentage of crime reported to law enforcement attributable to gangs in the borough varied from a low of 4.3 percent in 2007 to a high of 7.2 percent in 2008. Data are provided on the characteristics of victims of these gang-related crimes. Regarding student and school data, 147 staff responded to a survey on their perceptions of gangs. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents did not believe that gangs were a problem in their schools; the other 33 percent believed gangs were a problem. Community perceptions data encompassed community residents, gang members, and staff members from youth-serving and law enforcement agencies. Thirty-seven percent of residents identified gang activity as one of their top three community concerns. 113 tables, 6 figures, 4 references, and appended surveys and gang member interview form