The rise in the number of girls and gangs and their influence in communities around the country, including suburban America, is the topic of countless research projects nationwide. Law enforcement is also catching up, and the U.S. social-service system has begun to respond. All are looking at the fact that girls and gangs are their own social phenomenon. They require an approach that is often different than competing traditional male-dominated gangs. NPR's Jacki Lyden examines the new roles of girls and gangs.
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