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Street Gang Violence in Europe

University of Southern California, USA

Frank M. Weerman

Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, The Netherlands

Terence P. Thornberry

University of Colorado at Boulder, USA

Levels and descriptors of violence among European street gangs are summarized from studies reported primarily under the aegis of the Eurogang Program initiated in 1997 and continuing still. European gang violence is placed in the context of its American counterpart, of European non-gang youth violence, and of the definitional and structural components of the Eurogang Program. European gangs in over a dozen countries reveal a wide pattern of violent behaviour and levels of violence that are far greater than among non-gang youth, but largely less serious than in the USA. Some of these latter differences may be attributable to the recentness of the European gang development, the lower levels of firearms availability, and lower levels of gang territoriality in Europe.

Key Words: Eurogang Program • Street Gangs • Violence

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