Congressional Research Report: Gangs 2007 Download
Description:
Governments throughout the region are struggling to find the right combination of suppressive and preventive policies to deal effectively with the gang problem. Many analysts predict that illicit gang activities will accelerate illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and trafficking in persons and weapons to the United States. Some maintain that tough law enforcement approaches will help solve the gang problem, while others assert that unless the root causes of gang violence are addressed in a holistic way, the problem will continue to escalate.