There has been much consternation regarding the perceived proliferation of youth gangs in Australia. Fears have been fueled by the surge in media reports promoting negative images of youth street activities: random violence, drug taking and distribution, and a range of other socially disruptive, illegal and/or predatory criminal activities have been disproportionately attributed to young people. The paper shows that by and large the phenomenon of criminal youth gangs is largely a media myth. Furthermore, much of the publicized concern over youth gangs is linked to the ethnic background of particular groups of young people, which in turn raises major issues regarding youth opportunities and the policing of youth from selected social backgrounds. There is evidence that young people on the street are engaging in activity that occasionally includes anti-social behavior, criminal activity, and group conflict. To address present and potential gang problems a range of social and economic measure, as well as community effort are required. References