U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Impact of Street Gang Activity on Law Enforcement in a Metropolitan Area

NCJ Number
136561
Author(s)
E J Chavez
Date Published
1992
Length
102 pages
Annotation
This study deals with law enforcement strategies that may be available to impact street gang activity in metropolitan areas by the year 2001.
Abstract
Subissue questions pertain to how changes or shifts in the ethnic makeup of street gangs will affect future gang suppression policies or strategies, how street gang activity will affect the allocation of law enforcement resources, what changes will occur in law enforcement training as a result of street gang activity, and what strategies of coordination with other agencies will emerge to deal with the problem. Metropolitan areas are experiencing an increasing problem with street gangs in that they are more numerous, prevalent, and violent than at any time in history. The sophistication, mobility, and diverse makeup of gangs are critical issues to be addressed. Additionally, criminal activity engaged in by street gangs and the formation of "instrumental" gangs pose serious threats to the community. Trends and events related to gangs are forecasted for the year 2001, and possible scenarios are developed for the State of California. A transition management plan is offered as the means of getting from the current state to the desired state. Critical elements of this plan are the police chief, the city council, the city manager, the police officers' association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and local newspapers. The following recommendations are offered: establishment of a metropolitan task force to enhance enforcement; switch from traditional to community-oriented policing; establishment of gang-free zones; focused police recruitment to target minority candidates; and comprehensive training for police personnel and the community. Appendixes provide additional details on the study effort. References, endnotes, tables, and figures