Shay Bilchik, Administrator	August 1998

Youth Gangs: An Overview From the Administrator Introduction History of Youth Gangs Demographic Characteristics Scope of the Problem Why Do Youth Join Gangs? Youth Gangs and Violence Changing Composition of Youth Gangs Solutions Conclusion References James C. Howell is an Adjunct Researcher at the National Youth Gang Center, Institute for Intergovernmental Research. This Bulletin was prepared under cooperative agreement 95-JD-MU-K001 to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime. NCJ 167249 OJJDP Home | About OJJDP | E-News | Topics | Funding | Programs State Contacts | Publications | Statistics | Events