Gang Statistics 2009

Gang Statistics 

Facts at a Glance:

• 100% of cities with population greater than or equal to 250,000 reported gang activity in 2001
• 85% of cities with population between 100,000 and 229,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 65% of cities with population between 50,000 and 99,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 44% of cities with population between 25,000 and 49,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 20% of cities with population between 2,500 and 24,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 35% of suburban counties reported gang activity in 2001
• 11% of rural counties reported gang activity in 2001
• 95% of the jurisdictions reporting gang activity in 2001 had also reported gang activity in previous survey years
• 3,000 jurisdictions across the US are estimated to have had gang activity in 2001
• 56% of cities with population greater than or equal to 100,000 reported an increase or no significant change in the number of gang members in 2001
• 42% of cities with a population of at least 25,000 reported an increase in the number of gang members
• 45% of cities with a population of at least 25,000 reported an increase in the number of gangs from the previous two years
• 69% of cities with population at least 100,000 reported having gang related homicides in 2001
• 37% of cities with population between 50,000 and 99,999 reported having gang related homicides in 2001
• 59% of all homicides in 2001 in Los Angeles and 53% in Chicago were gang related, there was a total of 698 gang related homicides in there two cities combined where as 130 other cities with population of at least 100,000 with gang problems reported having a total of 637 homicides between them

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Highlights of the 2001 National Youth Gang Survey, by Arlen Egley, Jr. and Aline K. Major.

Facts at a Glance:

Trends in Gangs in the US:

• In 1996, 53% of the respondents to the National Youth Gang Survey reported active gangs in their jurisdictions, but by 2000, the percent reporting active gangs dropped to 40%.
• It is estimated that more than 24,500 gangs were active in the U.S. in 2000, which is a drop of 5% from the number estimated to be active in 1999. Despite this overall decrease in the number of gangs, cities with population over 25,000 reported a very slight increase in the number of active gangs from 1999.
• It is estimated that 772,500 people in the U.S. were members of gangs in 2000, a drop of 8% from the number of active members in 1999, but again, cities with population over 25,000 experienced an increase in the number of active gang members despite the overall drop.
• 91% of cities with population over 250,000, 64% of cities with population between 100,000 and 250,000, 55% of cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and 32% of cities with population between 25,000 and 50,000 reported at least one homicide from 1999 to 2000 that was attributed to gang violence. In these cities, 47% said that the number of gang- related homicides had increased in their jurisdiction from 1999 to 2000.
• It is estimated that 94% of gang members were male and 6% were female in 2000.
• It is estimated that 39% of gangs active in 2000 had at least one female member; 2% of gangs were identified as being composed of predominantly female members.
• In 1996, 50% of gang members were under the age of 18, but in 1999 only 37% of gang members were estimated to be under the age of 18.
• In 1999 it is estimated that 47% of gang members were Hispanic, 31% were African American, 13% were white, and 7% were Asian. These percentages seem to remain fairly steady over the years.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, National Youth Gang Survey Trends from 1996 to 2000, by Arlen Egley, Jr.