The universe for the study consisted of cities of 25,000 or more population and component counties of metropolitan areas. Questionnaires were mailed to police chiefs in 787 cities and to sheriffs in 703 counties in late October 1992. A total of 247 police chiefs and 137 sheriffs responded. Respondents reported serious and extensive gang problems that involved a large number of youths in over half the cities and counties represented by respondents. Although the respondents placed the blame for a child's gang membership with parents, they also identified factors such as the need for group membership, peer pressure, protection, fear, and financial gain as common motives that trigger youths to join gangs. Respondents also stated that government agencies have not done as much as they could to combat the problem. They suggested better training for law enforcement officers and the provision of more social programs to reduce or prevent the gang problem. Funding priorities have not reflected the significance of the gang problem, and most departments were without a strategic plan for addressing the youth gang problem. Ninety-nine percent of both chiefs and sheriffs believed city gangs will continue to expand into suburban areas through the mid- 1990's. Appended questionnaire and responses to each question