How is the gang problem changing?
Gang activity tends to follow a cyclical pattern with upswings followed by downturns (Klein, 1995a), and these occur at multiple levels—within regions, cities, and neighborhoods (Egley et al., 2004). In the NYGS, larger cities are far more likely to consistently report the presence of gang problems. In contrast, smaller cities and suburban and rural counties tend to report a variable gang presence over time (National Youth Gang Center, 2009, see Percentage of Law Enforcement Agencies Reporting Gang Problems and Gang-Problem Onset). Some cities may experience a large and sudden flare-up in gang violence in a given year. Such upswings are typically local in nature and not indicative of a nationwide trend (Tita and Abrahamse, 2004). Further complicating matters, local officials may be reluctant to acknowledge their gang problem until it publicly surfaces in a tragic event, or they may declare they have successfully dealt with it, only to see it surface again. In 2007, nearly 50 percent of
