Previous studies and surveys have reported that American street gang members are predominantly African-American and Hispanic (Klein, 1995; Miller, 1982). However, a few recent studies have shown an increase in the number of Caucasian youth involved in gangs. In a survey of 122 cities, Curry, Ball, and Fox (1994) found that the proportion of Caucasian youth involved in gang-related crime, although quite small (4.4 percent), had increased. In their evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, Esbensen and Osgood (1997) found that 25 percent of self-reported gang members were Caucasian.

After controlling for the number of gang members reported in each jurisdiction, the 1996 National Youth Gang Survey revealed that Hispanics and African-Americans constituted the majority of gang members. The following aggregate percentages were reported nationally: Hispanic—44 percent, African-American—35 percent, Caucasian—14 percent, Asian—5 percent, and other—2 percent (see figure 11).

Table 17 illustrates the differences between the weighted and unweighted averages. The unweighted average of Hispanics was much lower than the weighted average, especially in large cities and suburban counties. This difference is due to the large number of Hispanic gang members concentrated in a few large metropolitan areas in the western region. The unweighted averages indicate a smaller proportion of Hispanic gang members because there were fewer agencies in small cities and rural counties reporting Hispanic gang members.

A significant difference also existed between the weighted and unweighted averages for Caucasians. The unweighted average number of Caucasian gang members was more than twice the weighted average for all area types combined. This difference was the result of the large number of agencies in small cities and suburban and rural counties reporting a high percentage of Caucasian gang members. However, when the number of gang members reported in each jurisdiction was controlled for, the actual proportion of Caucasian gang members throughout the country was considerably lower than the actual proportion of Hispanic and African-American gang members.

When area type was taken into account, the unweighted averages for race/ethnicity varied considerably. The average percentages of African-American gang members reported by respondents in large cities (33 percent) and rural counties (35 percent) were higher than the overall unweighted average (see table 18). These variations for African-Americans were notable but were not found to be statistically significant.

The variation in race/ethnicity associated with area type for Hispanics, Caucasians, and Asians was statistically significant. The average proportion of Hispanic gang members was highest in large cities (32 percent) and lowest in rural counties (17 percent). The average proportion of Caucasian gang members was lowest in large cities (26 percent) and highest in small cities (42 percent). Furthermore, the average percentage of Caucasian gang members reported by respondents was remarkably high (39 percent) in suburban counties and rural counties. Higher average proportions of Asian gang members were reported in large cities (7 percent) and suburban counties (6 percent) than in small cities (3 percent) and rural counties (2 percent).

Nationally, only 2 percent of gang members were identified as "other." Altogether, 169 agencies identified an "other" race/ethnicity, the majority of which fell within four categories: American Indian, Polynesian (includes Pacific-Islander, Filipino, Samoan, Tongan, and Hawaiian), Middle Eastern (includes Arab), and Haitian. As figure 12 indicates, American Indian was most frequently cited as "other" (45 percent), followed by Polynesian (27 percent), Middle Eastern (8 percent), and Haitian (5 percent).

Similar to findings on area type, the unweighted averages for race/ethnicity varied considerably by region. As table 19 indicates, the average proportion of African-American gang members was 45 percent in the South but only 10 percent in the West. The average percentage of Hispanic gang members was 56 percent in the West but only 16 percent in the Midwest and 19 percent in the South. Furthermore, the average proportion of Caucasian gang members was highest (42 percent) in the Midwest and lowest (21 percent) in the West. The variation in race/ethnicity by region was determined to be statistically significant.

A cross-tabulation with both area type and region revealed some additional variations in the race/ethnicity of gang members (table 20). The highest average proportion of African-American gang members (59 percent) was in rural counties in the South. The average proportion of Hispanic gang members was highest in the West, regardless of area type. In the Midwest, Caucasians accounted for the largest average proportion of gang members in small cities (49 percent), suburban counties (50 percent), and rural counties (61 percent). The highest average proportion of Asian gang members was reported in western large cities (11 percent).

There was a moderate degree of association between ethnic composition and population size (see Appendix L). In the 25,000-49,999 and the 250,000 or more population ranges, the highest average proportion of gang members was for African-Americans. The average proportion of Hispanic gang members was predominant in the 50,000-99,999 and 100,000-249,999 population ranges. The average proportion of Caucasian gang members was predominant in the 1-9,999 and 10,000-24,999 population ranges. The average proportion of Asian gang members, although comparatively low, was above the overall average in populations of 50,000-99,999 and 250,000 or more. Variations in race/ethnicity associated with population size were found to be statistically significant for all races/ethnicities except African-American.

Jurisdictions in which gang problems began prior to 1990 (older gang jurisdictions) reported a much higher average percentage of Hispanic gang members than of other racial/ethnic groups. As shown in table 21, the average proportion of Hispanic gang members in newer gang jurisdictions was 21 percent less than in older gang jurisdictions. In contrast, the average proportion of Caucasian gang members was 23 percent higher in jurisdictions with a newer gang problem than in jurisdictions with an older gang problem. African-American and Asian gang membership differed by 2 percent on average. Table 21 also reveals this comparison for each area type, although not enough observations were available for reliable estimation of gang problems that began prior to 1990 in small cities and rural counties.

Multiethnic/Multiracial Gangs. Because of anecdotal reporting of an increase in gangs of mixed race and ethnicity, respondents were asked to report the percentage of gangs in their jurisdictions that were multiethnic/multiracial. No definition of these terms was provided in the survey. When the number of gangs reported in each jurisdiction was controlled for, approximately 46 percent of gangs in the United States were estimated to be multiethnic/multiracial.

Unweighted averages were used to compare differences across jurisdictions. Agencies in suburban counties reported the highest average percentage of multiethnic/multiracial gangs (53 percent), followed by large cities (48 percent), small cities (45 percent), and rural counties (34 percent) (see figure 13). There is little previous research on a national scope with which to make comparisons, and respondents were not asked about the proportions of the racial/ethnic mix of members in individual gangs. Future surveys will gather more information on this topic.

Table 22 shows the average proportion of multiethnic/multiracial gangs by area type and region. Agencies in the Midwest reported the highest average proportions (55 percent) of multiethnic/multiracial gangs, while the Northeast reported the lowest proportions (39 percent). Suburban counties in the Midwest, South, and West reported the highest proportions of multiethnic/multiracial gangs, compared with other area types.