Gangs continue to commit criminal activity, recruit new members in urban, suburban, and rural regions across the United States, and develop criminal associations that expand their influence over criminal enterprises, particularly street-level drug sales. The most notable trends for 2011 have been the overall increase in gang membership, and the expansion of criminal street gangs' control of street-level drug sales and collaboration with rival gangs and other criminal organizations.

This intelligence assessment is a collaborative effort between the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC) and the NDIC to examine the threat posed to the United States by criminal gangs; it supports U.S. Department of Justice strategic objectives 2.2 (to reduce the threat, incidence, and prevalence of violent crime) and 2.4 (to reduce the threat, trafficking, use, and related violence of illegal drugs). The assessment is based on federal, state, and local law enforcement information and is supplemented by information retrieved from open sources. Information and data used for this report were collected through September 2008. This assessment discusses the proliferation of gangs from urban areas to suburban and rural locations, estimates of the number of gangs and gang members in the United States, gang types, gang-related criminal activities, locations where specific gangs operate, and the relationships between gangs and other criminal organizations. Regional summaries highlighting the most significant gang-related trends are also provided. The assessment also identifies intelligence gaps and provides predictive estimates regarding significant gang-related issues.

Gangs pose a serious threat to public safety in many communities throughout the United States. Gang members are increasingly migrating from urban to suburban areas and are responsible for a growing percentage of crime and violence in many communities. Much gang-related criminal activity involves drug trafficking; however, gang members are increasingly engaging in alien and weapons trafficking. Additionally, a rising number of U.S. based gangs are seemingly intent on developing working relationships with U.S. and foreign-based drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and other criminal organizations to gain direct access to foreign sources of illicit drugs. 2009 report includes seven regional summaries, providing overviews of the current gang situation in each region, highlighting major issues of concern to law enforcement. Also includes the names and descriptions of the various known gangs, broken down by category.

More than eighty percent of American cities with a population of 100,000 or more report gang activity. Most of these gangs are made up of members who are eight to twenty-two years old. These statistics point to a larger unfortunate truth, at some point, our youth will have an encounter or an experience with gangs. It is important that they understand this world and how it operates. This collection of essays helps readers navigate the issues. Readers will analyze whether gangs are a growing suburban problem, if gang activity is increasing among girls, the role of immigration and gang activity, and measures that reduce gang involvement. Colorful photographs, charts, graphs, and images reinforce the text and present essential data.

More than eighty percent of American cities with a population of 100,000 or more report gang activity. Most of these gangs are made up of members who are eight to twenty-two years old. These statistics point to a larger unfortunate truth, at some point, our youth will have an encounter or an experience with gangs. It is important that they understand this world and how it operates. This collection of essays helps readers navigate the issues. Readers will analyze whether gangs are a growing suburban problem, if gang activity is increasing among girls, the role of immigration and gang activity, and measures that reduce gang involvement. Colorful photographs, charts, graphs, and images reinforce the text and present essential data.