Frequently Asked Questions about Gangs and Urban Violence (FAQ: Teen Life)

The secretive and underworld element of gangs creates many questions about them and gang culture. What is a gang and what are today's prevalent kinds? What problems exist currently? What are real gang activities? What is being done about gangs and urban violence? This book answers these questions and many more. Outlaw motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, and street gangs are examined and readers learn that most street gangs are loosely organized with no hierarchy. Females make up nearly a sixth of the total gang membership, and the average age of a gang member is seventeen or eighteen years old. This authoritative book concludes with a discussion of the strategies of prevention, intervention, and suppression of gangs. What is a gang? : are there different types? How big is the gang problem? Who joins a gang? : why do they join? What kinds of activities are gangs involved in? What can be done about gangs and gang violence? Answers common questions about gangs and urban violence, including why someone would join a gang, what kind of violent activities they are involved in, and how to prevent gang violence.