Is the gang problem growing?
The number of cities and counties experiencing gang problems increased substantially between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s (Miller, 2001). Then, following a marked decline from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, a steady resurgence of gang problems has occurred in recent years. Findings from the NYGS show a 25 percent increase in the number of jurisdictions with gang problems from 2002 to 2007. Within the four area types measured in the NYGS, the percent change in gang problem jurisdictions from 2002 to 2007 is as follows: +12 percent larger cities; +33 percent suburban counties; +27 percent smaller cities; and +24 percent rural counties (National Youth Gang Center, 2009, see Percent Change in Estimated Number of Gang-Problem Jurisdictions). Based on the most recent NYGS results, more than one-third of the jurisdictions that city (populations of 2,500 or more) and county law enforcement agencies serve experienced gang problems in 2007. This translates to an estimated 3,550 jurisdictio
