What makes gangs so hard to define and categorize? Compare and contrast at least two definitions presented in the chapter. Indicate which you believe is the most accurate definition, and explain why.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students should first indicate that there is no universal definition for gangs and that researchers and practitioners have struggled to reach a consensus about the term. Students should then explain that gangs are hard to define for a number of reasons, including confusion by gang members themselves over how to define their actions and behaviors, and myths about gangs that make it difficult to ascertain which elements of gang activity are fact and which are fiction. Next, students should compare and contrast two definitions presented in the chapter, such as the U.S. government’s definition of gangs as an ongoing association with three primary goals: (1) to commit criminal offenses, (2) to commit offenses within the past 5 years, and (3) to affect interstate or foreign commerce. As tends to be the case with U.S. law enforcement agencies, this definition is narrower than other definitions, such as that put forth by the Eurogang Network, which defines gangs broadly as troublesome youth groups that are durable and whose activities include criminal offending. A more practical definition, such as that developed from community assessments by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute for Justice (NIJ), is preferred, which defines a gang as follows: (1) the group has five or more members, (2) those members share an identity, (3) members see themselves as a gang and others recognize them as a gang, (4) the group associates consistently, and (5) the group is engaged in elevated rates of criminal offending.