Youth Gangs

Paper Summary:

The writer of this informative paper details the growing number of gangs and membership to gangs which have become a public security threat that communities are now recognizing that must be addressed. This paper supplies relevant statistics and data relating to gangs and various acts of gang violence. Approximately half of all youth gang members are 18 years or older and thus more likely to become involved in serious and violent crimes than younger gang members. This paper discusses the spread of gangs across America. While gangs have been a problem in L.A. for years, and account for roughly 50% of the city's murders, gangs are now responsible for 41% of the homicides in Omaha, Nebraska. This paper details the various preventative measures and programs available to curtail this growing problem. The writer contends and explains why preventing adolescents from joining gangs seems to be the most cost-effective long-term strategy. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has implemented a school-based gang prevention program that has shown positive preliminary results. The writer of this paper stresses the need for communities to organize a collaborative approach to gang problems from the outset rather than beginning with a predominantly suppression strategy.

From the Paper:

"Since 1980, the United States has witnessed a rapid proliferation of youth gangs. According to a 1998 Juvenile Justice Bulletin, there were roughly 286 gang jurisdictions with some 2,000 gangs and approximately 100,000 gang members in 1980. By 1996, there were some 4,800 jurisdictions with more than 31,000 gangs and an estimated 846,000 gang members. In an eleven-city survey of eighth graders, researchers found than nine percent were currently gang members, while seventeen percent stated they had belonged to a gang at some point in their lives. Other studies show similar percentages and also indicated that gang members were responsible for a large proportion of violent offenses."

More papers on Youth Gangs:

• Analytical Essay # 134392 : "Explaining Youth Gangs in Central Canada"
• Analytical Essay # 132164 : "Youth Gangs, Rationales and 'Moral Panic'"
• Research Paper # 26277 : "Youth Gangs in Schools: A Literature Review"
• Analytical Essay # 132548 : "North American Non-Urban Areas and Youth Gangs"

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