Includes bibliographical references (p. [645]-706) and indexes.

CONTENTS:

An overview : the social science approach to understanding gangs -- Classification factors for gang analysis -- Major milestones in gang studies -- The racism-oppression thesis for gang analysis -- Gangs : underclass, surplus population, and human capital -- Politics and gang crime : another continuity in thinking about gangs -- The oral history technique and gang research -- The true story about the Shaw & McKay tradition -- Shaw and McKay on gangs : with commentary and historical digression -- The Thrasher criminological riddle : what was his actual research methodology? -- Gangs as an urban way of life -- An organizational approach to gang analysis -- Gangs, guerrilla warfare, and social conflict -- Towards the understanding of gangs : the group factor -- Gangs and drugs -- Gangs and organized crime --

Female gang members and rights of children -- Asian gang members : a risk profile common to students of other ethnic and racial groups -- The family and the gang -- The community’s role in dealing with gangs -- Law enforcement and gangs -- Gangs and adult correctional institutions -- Gangs and juvenile correctional institutions -- Gang prevention and intervention issues -- Gang programs : an overview, analysis and critique -- Gang theory -- Gangs and the future : towards theoretical integration and policy options for reducing the gang problem -- Selected bibliography on gangs -- Supplemental bibliography : having secondary relevance to gangs -- Appendix A : written constitution and by-laws of the Almighty Latin King Nation -- Appendix B : written constitution and by-laws of the Spanish Gangster Disciple Nation -- Appendix C : constitution of the Vice Lords -- Appendix D : internal documents of the Brothers of the Struggle -- Appendix E : the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Prevention Act.