Because juvenile gangs are being established in communities nationwide, the National School Safety Center, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice stated: "Communities and schools not experienced with youth gang behavior are now forced to deal with it." This same federal agency reported that more than 3,000,000 incidents of rape, robbery and theft occur each year in America's schools. Consequently, some schools search students and use metal detectors to keep weapons out of the classroom. In a recent survey involving teenagers from 20 states, more than 40% of eighth graders said they could easily get a handgun if they wanted one.
With the continued proliferation of juvenile gangs in America's communities and schools, and the crime and violence that accompanies them, police, educators, students and citizens must be prepared. Knowledge about juvenile gangs could mean the difference between life and death.
