The estimate, by criminologist Professor Trevor Bennett, was based on interviews with 2,725 young people in custody suites at 16 locations around Britain.
He found that 77 per cent of those who said they were members of a gang were 17- to 24-years-old; of which 59 per cent had possessed a gun, compared with 21 per cent of those who had never belonged to a gang.
"It looks like gang membership is a characteristic of young people," said Bennett. "It would be interesting to extend this study to under-17s, but it would pose more complications."
His three-year study was commissioned by the Home Office.
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