NCJ Number
140053
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 43 Issue: 3 Dated: (1992) Pages: 25-31
Date Published
1992
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The problem of youth gang activity is becoming more serious and increasingly widespread in the United States. The problem is also different from those gangs described in the classical studies of the 1950's and 1960's.
Abstract
The first problem to be addressed when studying the criminal behavior of gangs is the definitions of gangs, gang-related, and gang incident. One accepted definition of a gang employs three criteria: community recognition of the group, self-recognition by the group as a distinct entity, and enough illegal activities to attract the negative attention of law enforcement officials. Compared to gangs from two decades ago, contemporary gangs feature increased violence among female members, a wider age range that encompasses older members, and different motivations among members. While early studies indicated that youth joined gangs because of the poverty and alienation that afflicts urban immigrant groups, current research has suggested that gang members may have made a rational decision to become involved in organized crime subunits that specialize in drug distribution, car theft, extortion, and burglary. 41 notes