Foreword

Acknowledgments

List of Tables

List of Figures

Executive Summary

Introduction

Methodology

Survey sample
Response rate
Extrapolation/Estimation
Weighting percentages
Statistical significance
Data limitations

Survey Results

Prevalence of youth gangs
Number of jurisdictions with active youth gangs
Number of youth gangs and gang members
Youth gangs and crime
Homicides
Degree of criminal activity
Gang crime definitions
Youth gangs and drugs
Drug sales
Drug distribution
Drug types
Youth gang migration
Law enforcement responses
Perception of the youth gang problem

Summary and Conclusions

Endnotes

References

Appendices

Appendix A	1997 National Youth Gang Survey Form for the Representative Sample (.pdf)*
Appendix B	Abbreviated 1997 National Youth Gang Survey Form for the Comparative Sample (.pdf)*
Appendix C	Random Sample Selection Methodology
Appendix D	Population Categories Used for Estimating the Average Number of Youth Gangs and Gang Members Based on Population of Nonrespondents
Appendix E	Jurisdictions Reporting Active Youth Gangs in 1997 (.pdf)*
Appendix F	U.S. Regions and Divisions Used for the 1997 National Youth Gang Survey
Appendix G	Number and Percentage of Jurisdictions Reporting Active Youth Gangs in 1997, by Population Size and Region
Appendix H	Number and Percentage of Jurisdictions Reporting Active Youth Gangs in 1997, by Area Type and Region
Appendix I	Level of Youth Gang Involvement in Street Sales of Drugs in 1997, by Area Type
Appendix J	Level of Youth Gang Involvement in Street Sales of Drugs in 1997, by Region
Appendix K	Level of Youth Gang Involvement in Street Sales of Drugs in 1997, by Population Size
Appendix L	Reasons for Gang Migration in 1997, by Area Type
Appendix M	Reasons for Gang Migration in 1997, by Population Size

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This document was prepared under Cooperative Agreement number 95-JD-MU-K001 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice. Responses to the 1997 National Youth Gang Survey were submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Readers are cautioned against basing judgments on the nature or extent of the gang problem in a particular locality solely on the data presented here. Because of differing methodology, definitions, and sampling techniques, caution is also urged in making direct comparisons between these data and data obtained in other surveys.