Street gangs
• Street gangs are frequently involved in random acts
of violence and crime – this differentiates gangs from
non-criminal youth groups.
• Street gangs have some stability over a period of
time.
• They may claim an area/turf to be their own for drug
distribution and other criminal activities.
• Gaining membership is usually not difficult as youth
often seek out gangs to fulfill their own self identity.
Compared to mid-level gangs and organized crime groups,
street gangs:
• Have lower levels of sophistication
• Engage in less serious crimes
• Are much less structured