There is more gang presence in schools than in the 1980's. There is more gang presence in detention and correctional facilities than in the past. Prison gangs have grown over the past two decades. National Youth Gang Center, 1999. National Youth Gang Center, 1999.
Females are more prevalent in adolescent gangs than previously reported.
Gangs in suburban, small town, and rural areas have different characteristics than gangs in large cities. They include more females, Caucasians, and younger youth, and more have mixed membership. Moore and Cook, 1999. Despite these changes, youth gangs remain dangerous. Their members often engage in violence and frequently carry weapons.