Social scientists have been studying and documenting the gang phenomena for nearly a century. Contemporary gang members, battered by the bleak economic realities of the nation's modern urban centers and deeply implicated in the seductive economics of illicit substances, find themselves mired in a destructive cycle of substance abuse and violence. Early in 1990, the U.S. Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) sponsored a national conference in Los Angeles to articulate issues and suggest possible solutions to the complex social concern. Substance Abuse and Gang Violence, a collection of papers presented at the conference, represents a multidisciplinary source of information for those dedicated to the scientific study of youths, particularly those likely to become victims or perpetrators of gang-related violence. Synthesizing current knowledge on both substance abuse and gang violence, this book provides a basis for the development of relevant community-based prevention and intervention programs and materials. It also serves as an important educational tool for students and practitioners in social work, psychology, psychiatry, and public health, especially those committed to working in high-risk urban communities.