RESUMO
Although street gangs currently aren't present in every community across America, mounting evidence and the prophecies of many gang members have demonstrated that the number of gangs and gang membership are rising at alarming rates. Current trends in our society lead us to believe that gangs are here to stay, until there's an effective social system that will replace the gang "family," an employment structure that will allow potential gang members to "get off the streets" and a criminal-justice system that will prosecute gang-related crimes severely. If we are to safely continue to serve the public in our chosen professions, we must be able to recognize and understand the inherent dangers to which we're exposed. We must continue to expand our perceptions and learn what these dangers are to survive in the safest manner possible. Careful, constant attention to our surroundings can go a long way toward ensuring our personal safety.