The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice of the Committee on the Judiciary convened to discuss the federal role in combating juvenile participation in gangs. A proposed amendment to the crime bill being developed, described at the hearing by Senator Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), makes it a federal offense to engage in gang-related crime and subjects gang members to tough mandatory minimum penalties, while providing funding for additional federal prosecutors to make implementation of the measure a reality. Senator Christopher J. Dodd (Connecticut) spoke in support of the "ounce of prevention" amendment to the crime bill he and other senators have sponsored that would make resources available to community agencies that are already working with young people to reduce gang problems. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) expressed some personal insights on gang issues and suggested tax benefits for corporations involved in juvenile rehabilitation efforts. A panel of law enforcement officials and an educational administrator spoke about the roles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the local police, and school systems in combating gang violence. A second panel of youth agency leaders, a police administrator, and a college professor reviewed the gang situation and provided examples of successful initiatives. (SLD)