New York:
More than one million people, mostly youth, are involved in gangs in the US, say official statistics.
According to a Department of Justice report, there were around 800,000 gangsters in 2005, which increased to over one million in 2008, Prensa Latina news agency reported.
Estimates showed that some 900,000 are active, while more than 145,000 are imprisoned in jails across the country.
In New York, there were about 20,000 criminals in 2009.
Los Angeles is considered the capital of such groups in the country. In this city there are frequent shootings and clashes over control of areas and drug trade, the report said.