The Patterns and Prevalence of Civil Gang Injunctions in the United States in 2012

• In Event: Policing the Boundaries: Gangs, Identity, and the Social Control of Marginalized Populations in Urban Settings

Abstract

In 2012, the National Gang Center (hereafter, NGC) through the National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) estimated the number of gangs in the U.S. was more than 30,000—a 15 percent increase since 2006—and the largest annual estimate since 1996 (National Gang Center 2012). The most recent estimate for active gang members is roughly 850,000, indicating an 8.6 percent increase from 2011 (National Gang Center 2012). The ever-growing number of gangs, enlisted gang members, and gang-related crimes has resulted in law enforcement agencies redefining how to best manage local gang problems. One of the ways in which the prevalence of gangs is managed is through Civil Gang Injunctions (CGIs)—wherein, civil law is utilized to sue a gang and prohibit certain gang-related activities. CGIs have been around since 1980, and despite a lag in scholarly empirical research to support their efficacy; they have been enacted in several states through various legal means. It is difficult to fully understand their national prevalence, since there is no method to keep track of how many CGIs are enacted. The most recent (2012) NYGS annual survey gathered information that will help provide national scope. This presentation provides an overview of current prevalence of CGIs in the U.S.—where they exist, and characteristics of jurisdictions that use them. The preliminary findings show vast national utilization of CGIs, and analyses will reveal any differences in implementation across states. The potential legal and non-legal implications that CGIs have on alleged gang members will also be discussed, in relation to the findings of this study.

Author

• Alyssa M. Heckmann, University of California, Irvine