Shay Bilchik, Administrator	January 1999

The Youth Gangs, Drugs, and Violence Connection James C. Howell and Scott H. Decker Introduction Historical Overview of Gang Drug Use and Trafficking The Current Image of Youth Gangs Studies of the Youth Gangs, Drugs, and Violence Connection Summary Policy and Program Implications References This Bulletin was prepared under cooperative agreement 95–JD–MU–K001 to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

From the Administrator The 1980’s saw an increase in youth gang violence and the rise of the crack cocaine epidemic. The public linked these two developments, often with implications of cause and effect. Conventional wisdom, however, is not always reliable. Viewed through the lens of public perception rather than that of scientific knowledge, the relationships among youth gangs, drugs, and violence are more often talked about than understood. In The Youth Gangs, Drugs, and Violence Connection, James Howell and Scott Decker add to our understanding of the interrelationships of these factors and address relevant questions such as the following: “Is drug trafficking a main activity of youth gangs?” “Is drug trafficking a major cause of violence in youth gangs?” “Are there other important sources of youth gang violence?” The authors make critical distinctions between drug gangs and street gangs that further enhance our understanding of the gang phenomenon, as does their exploration of the connections between youth gangs and adult criminal organizations and the role of firearms in gang violence. It is my hope that in describing the relationships among youth gangs, drugs, and violence, this Bulletin will help communities begin to address these problems more effectively. Shay Bilchik Administrator