NCJ Number
137936
Date Published
1991
Length
146 pages
Annotation
The Citizens Crime Commission of Tarrant County, Texas, formed a Gang Task Force in 1990 to focus on gangs and gang-related crime and develop a countywide solution to combat the problem.
Abstract
The extent of gang activity in Tarrant County could only be estimated because a uniform definition of gang does not exist throughout the county, law enforcement agencies are not uniform about what qualifies as a gang member or a gang-related offense, and there is no centralized data base of gang intelligence information. The Gang Task Force based its assessment of the gang problem on information about gangs and their activities from law enforcement personnel, the criminal justice system, service providers, current and former gang members, and the public. The operation of black, Hispanic, Asian, and white supremacist gangs was examined. The Gang Task Force recommended a holistic, community-based, grassroots plan of action to address the problem of youth gangs and violence in Tarrant County. Specific strategies deal with prevention, intervention, and enforcement. These strategies involve schools, youth-serving agencies, neighborhoods, business and community organizations, police departments, law enforcement agencies, decisionmakers, religious institutions, and the media. The gang phenomenon is discussed, along with the evolution and sociology of gangs and gang types. References and figures