National Youth Gang Survey Analysis
Gang-Problem Onset
Respondents provided information regarding the approximate year gangs began to pose a problem in their jurisdictions.
- Larger cities have a much longer, more extensive history of gang problems—nearly half have experienced ongoing gang problems since before the 1990s.
- In each of the remaining three area types, more than one in five did not provide information when gangs started to pose a problem in their jurisdictions.
- Suburban counties and smaller cities have a much more varied history of gang problems—approximately 40 percent of both experienced the emergence of gang problems in the 1990s.
- Very few rural counties and smaller cities have long-standing gang problems since before the 1990s.
| Larger Cities | Suburban Counties | Smaller Cities | Rural Counties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Data Reported | 10.8% | 21.1% | 22.8% | 28.9% |
| Before 1990s | 47.1 | 17.2 | 9.9 | 5.9 |
| 1990s | 34.9 | 44.1 | 41.4 | 39.3 |
| 2000 or After | 7.3 | 17.6 | 25.9 | 25.9 |
Analysis for this section pertains only to law enforcement agencies reporting gang problems. Please see the Prevalence of Gang Problems section.
Suggested citation: National Youth Gang Center (2009). National Youth Gang Survey Analysis. Retrieved [date] from http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Survey-Analysis