Gangs are no longer just an urban problem but affect cities, towns, and small communities alike. The growth and expansion of gangs mean old strategies of moving into or out of certain neighborhoods no longer guarantee public safety. Gangs, along with drug trafficking, are responsible for an increasing amount of violent crime and contribute to the incidence of juvenile murders. For black youth, gang activity and membership date back to the 1920's when black gangs were identified in Southern California. Black gangs have significantly evolved over the last 40 years, and trend analysis indicates that these gangs will continue to grow in both rural and urban areas. As gangs and gang membership increase, gangs will become more violent, territorial, and predatory in response to competition and rivalry. In addition, gangs will continue to become more sophisticated in drug trafficking, both nationally and internationally, and gang membership will outnumber law enforcement resources. Consideration is given to gangs in the prison setting, gang identifiers, female gang members, motivations for gang membership, and the role of self-esteem in gang membership. Ways of dealing with the gang problem are addressed, specifically building self-esteem, promoting self-awareness, mobilizing school and community resources to support young people, and providing young people with real opportunities for establishing positive identities. 41 references and 4 tables