DOI: 10.3886/icpsr06565
title: Extended National Assessment Survey of Law Enforcement Anti-Gang Information Resources, 1993-1994
title: Archival Version

description: This survey extended a 1992 survey (NATIONAL ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ANTI-GANG INFORMATION RESOURCES, 1990-1992 [ICPSR 6237]) in two ways: (1) by updating the information on the 122 municipalities included in the 1992 survey, and (2) by including data on all cities in the United States ranging in population from 150,000 to 200,000 and including a random sample of 284 municipalities ranging in population from 25,000 to 150,000. Gang crime problems were defined in the same manner as in the 1992 survey, i.e., a gang (1) was identified by the police as a "gang," (2) participated in criminal activity, and (3) involved youth in its membership. As in the 1992 survey, a letter was sent to the senior law enforcement departmental administrator of each agency describing the nature of the survey. For jurisdictions included in the 1992 survey, the letter listed the specific information that had been provided in the 1992 survey and identified the departmental representative who provided the 1992 data. The senior law enforcement administrator was asked to report whether a gang crime problem existed within the jurisdiction in 1994. If a problem was reported, the administrator was asked to identify a representative of the department to provide gang crime statistics and a representative who was most knowledgeable on anti-gang field operations. Annual statistics on gang-related crime were then solicited from the departmental statistical representative. Variables include city, state, ZIP code, and population category of the police department, and whether the department reported a gang problem in 1994. Data on the number of gangs, gang members, and gang-related incidents reported by the police department are also provided. If actual numbers were not provided by the police department, estimates of the number of gangs, gang members, and gang-related incidents were calculated by sampling category.
description: The 1994 national-level survey of law enforcement information on gang-related crime extended a 1992 survey (NATIONAL ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ANTI-GANG INFORMATION RESOURCES, 1990-1992 [ICPSR 6237]) in two ways: (1) chronologically, the study updated information on the 122 municipalities included in the 1992 survey, and (2) geographically, the study was extended to include data on all cities in the United States ranging in population from 150,000 to 200,000 and to include a random sample of 284 of the 1,126 municipalities ranging in population from 25,000 to 150,000.
description: As much as possible, the 1994 survey replicated procedures for gathering data used in the 1992 survey. Gang crime problems were defined in the same manner as in the 1992 survey, i.e., a gang (1) was identified by the police as a "gang," (2) participated in criminal activity, and (3) involved youth in its membership. As in the 1992 survey, a letter was sent to the senior law enforcement departmental administrator of each agency describing the nature of the survey. For jurisdictions included in the 1992 survey, the letter listed the specific information that had been provided in the 1992 survey and identified the departmental representative who provided the 1992 data. Each letter was accompanied by a letter of support for the survey from an NIJ official. The senior law enforcement administrator, usually a chief of police or police commissioner, was asked to report whether a gang crime problem existed within the jurisdiction in 1994. If a problem was reported, the administrator was asked to identify a representative of the department to provide gang crime statistics and a representative who was most knowledgeable on anti-gang field operations. Sometimes this was the same individual, but more often separate departmental representatives were identified. Annual statistics on gang-related crime were then solicited from the departmental statistical representative.
description: Variables include city, state, ZIP code, and population category of the police department, and whether the department reported a gang problem in 1994. Data on the number of gangs, gang members, and gang-related incidents reported by the police department are also provided. If actual numbers were not provided by the police department, estimates of the number of gangs, gang members, and gang-related incidents were calculated by sampling category.
description: Response Rates: Not available.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: All United States cities with populations over 150,000 were included. A random sample of 284 jurisdictions with populations between 25,000 and 150,000 was also selected. The 31 remaining smaller cities included in the 1992 study were excluded from selection in the random sample. Eleven counties that had provided gang information to the 1992 survey were recontacted for the 1994 survey. Two counties not included in the 1992 survey were included in the 1994 survey because they were identified as providing law enforcement services to smaller municipalities selected in the random sample of cities with populations of 25,000 to 150,000.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Data File DS2: SAS Data Definition Statements DS3: Data Collection Instrument in PDF Format
description: Police departments in cities with populations over 25,000 and 11 counties in the United States.
description: The data collection instrument is provided as an electronic image file in Portable Document File (PDF) format. The PDF format was developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated and can be accessed using the Adobe Reader. Information on how to obtain a copy of the Adobe Reader is provided in the README file on the diskettes and through the NACJD Web Pages on the Internet. The data collection instrument is also available in hardcopy form upon request from ICPSR.