POPULARITY, IDENTITY AND BELONGING WITHIN A PEER GROUP, AND EXCITEMENT ARE CITED AS THE REASONS WHY FEMALES JOIN THE BLACK GANGS IN PHILADELPHIA. IT IS BELIEVED THAT BECAUSE FEMALES ARE EXPOSED TO ESSENTIALLY THE SAME MILIEU AS THAT OF THE MALES IN PHILADELPHIA'S LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, IT IS LOGICAL THAT THE SUBCULTURAL PATTERNS AND RITUALS FOR ACHIEVING RECOGNITION AND GAINING PEER ACCEPTANCE FOR FEMALES WOULD PARALLEL THOSE OF THE MALES. IT IS NOTED THAT THIS MOST OFTEN OCCURS WHERE THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE PATTERN FOR FEMALES TO SATISFY THEIR NEED FOR BELONGING AND RECOGNITION WITHIN THE FAMILY OR SCHOOL MILIEUS. IT IS INDICATED THAT IN SEXUALLY INTEGRATED BLACK YOUTH GANGS, FEMALES ARE NOT RELEGATED TO PERIPHERAL GANG ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS SOCIAL AND SEXUAL AFFAIRS, BUT PROVE THEMSELVES IN ROLES CENTRAL TO THE MAINTENACE AND ADVANCEMENT OF THE GANG'S REPUTATION. THEY ARE KNOWN TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE MALES IN GANG WARFARE. THE ALL-FEMALE GANG DESCRIBED IS PATTERNED ALMOST IN EVERY DETAIL AFTER THE MALE GANGS. VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION ARE CONSIDERED ITS TRADEMARK. (RCB)