Incorporating information from interviews with 96 active youth gang members and associates in three of the rural counties of California's Central Valley, this book provides an in-depth look at youth involvement in gang life in rural settings and addresses the underlying factors leading to the socialization of rural youths into gang life. The book documents the family and school life of youths living in rural communities and examines the process by which they are initiated into gang activity. It discusses their roles in various street gang organizations and their gang-related and non-gang-related illegal activities. It traces their experience within the criminal justice system, from initial contacts with the police to confinement in juvenile facilities. Besides extensive interviews with the youths, data from more than 300 surveys of community members, accompanied by field research in local communities, provide groundbreaking insights into a wide spectrum of issues related to gangs in rural settings. While the Central Valley of California serves as the research site for this extensive work, its findings are equally relevant to other rural areas in the United States and in the larger global context.

This volume will be of pivotal interest to students, scholars and academics in the fields of criminology, sociology, law, social sciences and political sciences, as well as criminal justice practitioners, policymakers, community leaders and advocates for anti-gang programs.