Youth Gangs and Guns

North and South America are experiencing an increase in the number and size of youth gangs. Once a problem for large metropolitan cities, youth gangs are now active in urban, rural, and suburban communities alike. Research indicates that these trends are likely to continue.

Males continue to dominate youth gangs, but female participation is increasing with female-only gangs emerging as a trend in the US and South America. In addition, youth gang membership increasingly cuts across all ethnic, cultural and religious communities. 

The scope and nature of activities of youth gangs vary within and between communities. Research indicates that some youth gangs are involved in low-level criminal activity, while others pose a significant criminal and/or violent threat.

Some youth gangs are involved in graffiti and vandalism, while others are involved in drug trafficking, robbery, extortion, prostitution, money laundering and vandalism. Smuggling people and weapons are emerging trends in some areas. 

Gangs rely on a range of tactics and weapons to protect themselves/members, turf, status and profit-making enterprises. Threats, intimidation, assaults and homicides are widely reported. In carrying out these criminal activities, gang members will utilize knives, machetes, hammers, etc. Firearms are considered a weapon of choice for many gangs in the US and South America. In Canada, the use of firearms among youth is generally becoming more prevalent and is especially acute in larger urban areas such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

• youth is broadly defined as individuals 30 years of age and younger
• lack of consensus on definition of youth gang
• youth join gangs for power, money, respect, status and sense of belonging
• in 2002, 434 youth gangs reportedly active across Canada with approximately 7,000 members – 0.02% of total population
• youth gangs reportedly active in large and small Canadian jurisdictions
• illicit drug distribution is most prominent financial drive for youth gangs
• 71 homicides in Canada in 2004 determined to be “gang-related” (e.g., street gang, youth gang, organized crime); 50 involved a firearm
• no specific Canadian statistics on use of guns by youth gangs
• in 2004, approximately 24,000 gangs active in US (760,000 members; 29,000 jurisdictions) – 0.26% of total population
• effective responses to address youth gangs rely on a combination of prevention, intervention and suppression programs
• overall lack of information on Canadian youth gangs and the range of criminal and violent activities

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