Frequently Asked Questions about Gangs and Urban Violence

The secretive and underworld element of gangs creates many questions about them and gang culture. What is a gang and what are today's prevalent kinds? What problems exist currently? What are real gang activities? What is being done about gangs and urban violence? This book answers these questions and many more. Outlaw motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, and street gangs are examined and readers learn that most street gangs are loosely organized with no hierarchy. Females make up nearly a sixth of the total gang membership, and the average age of a gang member is seventeen or eighteen years old. This authoritative book concludes with a discussion of the strategies of prevention, intervention, and suppression of gangs.