They committed various forms of theft and robbery, along with extortion and rape. ... They had close ties with the male gangs and often would carry weapons for them since they were generally less likely to be searched by police officers. ... At the same time, the media began with a trend toward more overt violence. ... A crack cocaine epidemic began in the mid-1980's and public concern of drugs and violence combined with youth gangs heightening. ... For instance, $2,500 worth of cocaine, along with two readily available household chemicals can constitute $10,000 worth of crack. ...

• Word Count: 4105
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School