Largest Group of Lawbreaking Gang Members Is Aged 13 to 16, FBI Report Reveals

Juveniles face much lower sentences compared with adults convicted of the same offenses, so criminals recruit them.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation building in Washington on Aug. 7, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The biggest cohort involved in gang activity in the United States is youths 13 to 16 years old, the FBI revealed as part of the agency’s Gang Activity, 2021–2024 special report published on Sept. 8.

There were 79,507 offenders engaged in gang activities during the four years, and of these, 19,163 were aged 13 to 16—the highest among all age groups.