Gangs, Drugs, and Homicide: Preliminary Findings From Los Angeles -- Presented at the American Society of Criminology Meetings, November 1991

• NCJ Number: 157831
• Author(s): C L Maxson; M W Klein; L Cunningham
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): R49/CCR903622
• Sponsoring Agency: Ctr's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Sale Source: University of Southern California
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

In response to a climate of perceived links among gangs, drug sales, and violence, a study of cocaine sales arrest incidents and homicides was conducted in five police station areas of South Central Los Angeles.

Abstract

Specific study objectives were to compare the scope of drug involvement in gang homicides with other homicides and to examine the nature of drug involvement in homicides. Gang and nongang homicides occurring in the five police station areas in 1988 and 1989 were sampled using a stratified random approach. Results showed significant gang/nongang differences over the 1984-1989 period. The percentage of gang homicide cases occurring on the street decreased slightly. Firearm presence remained about the same in gang cases, although it increased slightly in nongang cases. About 64 percent of homicides involved some aspect of drug involvement but no gang/nongang differences. Specific mentions of crack or cocaine of any type were more common in nongang than in gang homicides. 9 references and 2 tables