ABSTRACT

Gang members running through streets, alleys, and parks shooting at one another. Drive-by shootings coming seemingly out of nowhere and killing children playing in their yard. A drug market disrupted by a fight and then gunshots. The evening news leading off with a story about “yet another gangrelated homicide in our city today … .” These images commonly come to mind when mentioning gangs and homicide. Popular beliefs hold that gang members are indiscriminate in their violence, often killing innocent bystanders and are so involved and invested in drug trafficking that they will stop at nothing to protect their market and turf. While these types of situations certainly do happen, they are far from the norm when looking at the complete picture of gangs and homicides.