Author Description

The spread of youth gangs (YG) activity has led to increased public concern. A series of annual surveys facilitated an analysis of changes and trends in the nature of YG and their activities. This Summary provides the results of the 1998 survey, which indicate that the % of jurisdictions reporting active YG decreased from the previous year, from 51% in 1997 to 48% in 1998. Despite these declines, YG remain a serious problem. For example, every city with a population of 250,000 or greater reported the presence of YG. In addition, the number of YG members increased 43% in rural counties from 1996 to 1998, as YG participation continued to spread beyond major cities. Numerous charts and tables.