American Youth Gangs at the Millennium

For generations, scholars, law enforcement personnel, politicians, and the media have tried to understand and explain youth gangs and violence. This insightful collection contains the work of leading scholars, integrating previously published articles with new material to provide the most comprehensive information about the status of American youth gangs. The contributors attempt to answer crucial questions for understanding gangs: What is a gang? What are the risk factors associated with joining a gang? What is the nature of gang violence? How involved are girls in gangs and gang violence? The contributors’ multifaceted approach to these questions and their ensuing discussions describe the varied and individual responses to gang violence. The topics are grouped in four sections: The first section explores the issues and ramifications of current terminology and survey information. In the second section, nontraditional gangs, such as female gangs and hybrid gangs, are discussed. The third section attempts to examine gang activities objectively and place them in a proper perspective. The final section looks at historical and current response techniques to youth gangs, such as suppression, prevention, and legal injunctions.Larry K. Gaines is the author of 'American Youth Gangs at the Millennium' with ISBN 9781577663249 and ISBN 1577663241.