One of the key factors in poor outcomes for gang interventions is the failure to develop an assessment-based approach in the design and implementation of both community and individual intervention strategies. At a minimum, assessment should examine the following domains: family perceptions of gangs, intragang and intergang dynamics, positive and negative experiences associated with gang involvement, and perceived treatment needs. Without an assessment-based approach to intervention, there is no assurance that the needs of individual youth will be adequately identified and addressed in either the design or implementation phase of an intervention. Assessment should involve providing youth with the opportunity to identify, from their perspective, relevant intervention and treatment issues. This might include the need for assistance in dealing with family resistance to their participation in intervention, pressure from fellow gang members to remain involved in the gang, the danger posed by rivals after leaving a gang, school and educational deficits, drug and alcohol issues, psychotherapeutic needs, and job training and placement. Other needs that might be identified by youth are the possibility of having to relocate to another neighborhood or community and positive recreational opportunities. Entering into the intervention process without first identifying as many of these factors as possible and then addressing them in the design of intervention strategies poses the risk of developing and implementing a program that fails to target the reasons why youth join gangs and maintain their membership. 25 references