Journal articles: 'Gang members – psychology'

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Boots, Denise Paquette, Jennifer Wareham, Kelli Stevens-Martin, and Nina Barbieri. "A Preliminary Evaluation of the Supervision With Immediate Enforcement Probation Program for Adult Gang–Affiliated Offenders in Texas." Criminal Justice and Behavior 45, no. 7 (June 1, 2018): 1047–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854818774386.

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As of 2012, it was estimated that there were more than 30,000 active gangs in the United States with at least 850,000 members. Despite significant challenges that criminal justice agencies and personnel face in treating and supervising gang members, few studies have examined adult gang member outcomes and the effects of community supervision on gang-affiliated offenders. Recent research demonstrates mixed evidence that high-risk offenders have better outcomes in smaller problem-solving courts and programs, which have dual emphasis on rehabilitation and deterrence-based approaches to corrections. This study evaluates the efficacy of the Supervision with Immediate Enforcement (SWIFT) Court Program for young adult gang–affiliated probationers compared with non-SWIFT gang members and high-risk non-gang offenders. Findings indicated SWIFT had a moderate deterrent impact on offending compared with alternative probation sanctions. Results and discussion related to problem-solving courts and policy-related issues surrounding gang-affiliated and youthful violent offenders are offered.

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Maitra, Dev Rup. "‘If You’re Down With a Gang Inside, You Can Lead a Nice Life’: Prison Gangs in the Age of Austerity." Youth Justice 20, no. 1-2 (February 20, 2020): 128–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473225420907974.

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In many countries, there has been growing academic attention towards the activities of street and prison gang members. However, while much of the American literature explores the experiences of prison gang members, such investigation has been notably absent in the English context. This article seeks to address this deficit in the literature. Through gathering data from interviews with active prison gang members, it shows how reduced staffing levels in English prisons has led to an increasingly ‘ungovernable’ prison space. This, in turn, has led to an increase in levels of gang membership. Most notably, the high numbers of street gangs ‘imported’ into prisons has had the unintended effect of creating several ‘in prison’ gangs, which form for the first time in prison, with their members seeking protecting from more established gangs. This proliferation of gangs has had a significant impact on rates of in-prison violence, and how prisons are managed.

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Scott, Daniel W. "Attitude is everything: Youth attitudes, gang involvement, and length of institutional gang membership." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (September 17, 2014): 780–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214548285.

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Prison gangs have been a topic of interest among scholars, but research on youth prison gangs is limited. Furthermore, violent attitudes and gang involvement have not been addressed extensively, and a better understanding of youth prison gang involvement is needed to effectively inform responses to violence in correctional facilities. This paper fills this research gap through an analysis of violent attitudes as they relate to gang involvement and length of gang membership. The data derive from interviews with 285 males conducted in a larger study on gangs and violence in California’s youth correctional facilities. The results show that gang members tend to have stronger violent and aggressive attitudes compared to nongang members, and length of institutional gang membership is statistically significant and negatively associated with violent and aggressive attitudes. Furthermore, a youth’s violent and aggressive attitudes will vary depending on if the youth has never spent time in an institutional gang, is currently in one, or is a former institutional gang member. I conclude the paper with a discussion of these findings and what they imply for gang group processes, theory, institutional policy, and programs.

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Gérard, Bertrand F. "Gang members." Essaim 12, no. 1 (2004): 139. http://dx.doi.org/10.3917/ess.012.0139.

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Swetnam, Josh, and Jacqueline Pope. "GANGS AND GANG ACTIVITY IN A NON-METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY: THE PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND POLICE OFFICERS." Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal 29, no. 2 (January 1, 2001): 197–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2001.29.2.197.

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In recent years, both the media and the research literature have noted an increased presence of street gangs in non-metropolitan and rural communities. This study was conducted in a small community in the south which was identified by its police force as having a sizable gang population. Individuals from three groups within the community who have frequent, direct contact with gang members participated in the study. Participants completed questionnaires designed to measure their general perceptions of the gangs, the actors associated with gang development, and the community's response to the gang presence. The participants perceive a number of factors as having influenced the growth of gang activity. The results showed striking perceptual differences between the groups, as well as a number of similarities.

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Sharpe, Elizabeth Gail. "Negotiating with Gang Members." Journal of Police Crisis Negotiations 2, no. 2 (June 2002): 35–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/j173v02n02_05.

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Wood, Jane L. "Understanding gang membership: The significance of group processes." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (September 29, 2014): 710–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214550344.

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Gang researchers have robustly established that gangs facilitate increased criminal activity in members—even those who were prolifically delinquent before gang membership (Klein, Weerman, & Thornberry, 2006). This suggests that there is something about gang membership, specifically, that influences individuals’ criminality. However, so far it is not clear what this influence is. This paper, taking a social psychological perspective on gang membership considers the potential influence that group processes exert on gang members to identify with a gang, to conform to group norms, become cohesive and to strive to acquire group goals—such as status. It further speculates that adherence to group norms may cultivate gang members’ social cognitions such as moral disengagement, offense supportive cognitions, and rumination. Conclusions note how group processes deserve closer research attention due to their potential for informing more accurate gang interventions to deter potential members and to reduce existing gang membership.

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Wood, Jane L., and Howard Giles. "Group and intergroup parameters of gang activities: An introduction and research agenda." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (September 12, 2014): 704–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214548620.

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In introducing this Special Issue on gangs, we overview the thrust of its papers, demonstrating how they assist in plugging research gaps from the dearth of psychological attention to gangs. The papers therein raise important theoretical considerations of group process effects, social identity, and communication influences in gangs. Also included are empirical examinations of how attitudes to formal organized crime groups may nurture progang views, how social networks bridge gang divides, the dehumanization and social dominance association with gang membership, and how membership longevity associates with gang members’ attitudes to their group. We conclude with theoretical prospects and empirical vistas for future work. For instance, vitality theory may help explain members’ immersion in gangs, discursive strategies could explain how youth are enticed into gangs, and examinations of community and law enforcement attitudes to gangs may provide insight into how oppositional attitudes are fostered on both sides of the gang divide.

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Bolden, Christian L. "Friendly foes: Hybrid gangs or social networking." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (September 12, 2014): 730–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214548284.

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Hybrid gangs have been identified as having organizational processes that differ from traditional gangs. This study comparatively examines structural processes and characteristics of gangs in a chronic gang city, San Antonio, and an emerging gang city that would be more likely to have “hybrid” gangs, Orlando. A limited number of recent studies have indicated that some gangs may better fit into a social network framework, which calls into question presumptions about hybrid gangs. In this analysis, cooperation between gang members from rival gangs is examined through a social network lens, and findings indicate that such cooperation is a normalized process in the gang landscape.

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Rosen, Jonathan D., and José Miguel Cruz. "Overcoming Stigma and Discrimination: Challenges for Reinsertion of Gang Members in Developing Countries." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 62, no. 15 (July 12, 2018): 4758–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x18785517.

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This article is an effort to better understand the discrimination mechanisms that ex-gang members perceive upon leaving the gang and seeking to reinsert themselves into a society marked by high levels of violence and inequality, as in Central America. Based on 24 in-depth interviews with former members of MS-13, the 18th Street gang, and other street gangs in El Salvador, this article analyzes the different mechanisms of discrimination perceived by respondents as a result of the stigma of past gang membership. This article also documents how these perceptions of discrimination can affect individuals who are searching for employment opportunities and seeking to reinsert themselves into society.

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Beresford, Hayley, and Jane L. Wood. "Patients or perpetrators? The effects of trauma exposure on gang members’ mental health: a review of the literature." Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice 2, no. 2 (June 13, 2016): 148–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jcrpp-05-2015-0015.

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Purpose – Gangs have become a hot topic in recent years, particularly since 2011 when gang members became the poster child for “the worst bout of civil unrest in a generation”. Given the portrayal of gang members as “super predators,” it is maybe not surprising that much of the media and scholarly attention, to date, has focussed on gang members as perpetrators of violence — paying little attention to their role as victims and the impact this may have on their psychological wellbeing (Bennett et al., 1996). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and synthesize theory and research relating to the relationship between gang membership and mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder and considered how treating gang violence as a public health problem, rather than punishing it as a criminal justice problem has superior benefits in terms of rehabilitation and reduced recidivism. Design/methodology/approach – The scarcity of research on this topic meant that research from other subfields of psychology was be collated in order to build a clearer picture of the psychological consequences belonging to a gang can have. Findings – It is clear from this review that gang members’ involvement in violence (as victims and perpetrators) is likely to have a negative impact on their behavioral, social and psychological functioning. Originality/value – The authors suggest future directions should be aimed toward developing and honing a robust program of research capable of producing intelligence-led assessment and intervention.

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Tapia, Mike. "Modern Chicano Street Gangs: Ethnic Pride Versus “Gangsta” Subculture." Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences 41, no. 3 (June 25, 2019): 312–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0739986319858966.

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This article examines the subcultural characteristics of modern Chicano street gangs, using San Antonio, Texas, as a case study. It is informed by archival material, police data, and multifaceted fieldwork with gang members and police in that city. The result is a broad sweeping analysis of the role of various social forces in shaping the form of contemporary Chicano gangs. I find that gang migration, the social mimicry of Black gangs, and the weakening of ethnic pride have all profoundly affected modern street gang subculture. However, ethnic pride norms have not completely faded away, presenting an interesting bifurcation among modern Chicano gangs. Profiling the most violent and reputable gangs from the early 1990s to 2015 in San Antonio drives this analysis of barrio longevity versus cultural succession. This study concludes that there are “period effects” that are not well accounted for in the current literature on youth gang subcultures.

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Densley, James A., Tianji Cai, and Susan Hilal. "Social dominance orientation and trust propensity in street gangs." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (May 18, 2014): 763–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214533161.

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The present research demonstrates that social dominance orientation (SDO) and trust propensity provide a valuable theoretical framework and methodological toolkit with which to both assess the concept of “defiant individualism,” Sánchez-Jankowski’s trait theory of gang membership, and understand social-psychological gang processes. The research samples 95 gang members in London, UK, while looking at the effects of age, contact with the gang, and position in the gang on the presence of SDO and trust propensity. Using path analysis, the research demonstrates gang tenure and rank are strong predictors of high SDO and low trust propensity, independent of time spent in the gang, which also significantly predicts high SDO and low trust propensity. High SDO and low trust propensity in gangs are also positively correlated. Gang members, it seems, exhibit a “defiant individualist” social character and both selection and group socialization processes are accountable. Such, in turn, may help explain intergang relations.

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Shap, Kacey. "Island in the street: analyzing the function of gang violence from a culture and conflict perspective." Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 6, no. 2 (April 8, 2014): 78–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-11-2012-0009.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the components of a gang culture in conflict with society, and second, to explore how gangs, the community, and law enforcers externalize the gang problem from the vantage point of worldview and worldmaking. Design/methodology/approach – The researcher gathered news articles from the Nexus-Lexis research database system within a one-year period (from February 2012 to February 2013). The data was randomly selected and representative of newspapers published throughout the USA. The news articles were coded based upon the aspects of culture (lens of perception, motives for human behaviors, criteria for evaluation, basis of identification, means for communication, justification for social stratification, and mode for production and consumption). A thematic analysis was also conducted to determine: the aspects of gang culture in conflicts with society; and how the gangs, the community, and the law enforcements externalize the gang conflict. Findings – Results suggest that gang violence is largely due to issues of identity, values, and gang cohesiveness rather than the result of the pathologically based environmental conditions. Criteria for evaluation and issue of identity constituted 66 percent of the violent conflict with society. In the context of worldviews and worldmaking, gang members and law enforcement personnel are more likely to adopt a rigid, win-lose framework while members of the community are more likely to prescribe to a flexible and holistic perspective toward the gang problem. In sum, gang violence is not necessarily a deviant or antisocial act; rather, it is a result of the conflicting narratives between the gang cultures and the culture-at-large. Research limitations/implications – In dissecting gang behavior from a cultural perspective, it is easy to categorize gangs as a collective subculture. However, gang members may not view themselves as a subculture nor consider themselves as belonging to a subculture community. Practical implications – By examining the function of culture – in this case, the gang culture – as it conflicts with society at large, one may better able to develop an action plan that emphasize identities, cultures, and values rather than crime and punishment. Also, it may help shed light on how the various stakeholders (i.e. the gangs, law enforcements, and the community) perceive the conflict, which may assist researcher to develop a comprehensive and holistic approach toward intervention. Finally, implementing a culturally based gang violence intervention may reduce cost. Originality/value – This research is unique in that it analyzes the function of gang violence in relation to the society-at-large. Also, the research addresses the issue as to how the various stakeholders interpret the “gang problem.” Finally, this research is innovative in that it employs news articles as units of analysis rather than the traditional qualitative interviews or quantitative surveys.

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THOMPSON, DAVID W., and LEONARD A. JASON. "Street Gangs and Preventive Interventions." Criminal Justice and Behavior 15, no. 3 (September 1988): 323–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854888015003005.

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This article presents an evaluation of an intervention aimed at youth at risk for joining street gangs. In a quasi-experimental design, targeted youth were assigned to one of two levels of treatment (classroom sessions or a combination of classroom sessions and structured after-school activities) or to a no-treatment control group. To ascertain gang membership following the intervention, the youths' names were compared with gang membership rosters obtained from informants. Four members of the control group and one receiving youth receiving the more intensive intervention were subsequently identified as gang members. Implications of the study for public policy are considered, methodological difficulties in conducting research in this area are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

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Van Damme, Ellen. "Corruption, impunity and mistrust: moving beyond police gatekeepers for researching gangs." Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 13, no. 2/3 (July 5, 2021): 125–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-01-2021-0572.

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Purpose This paper aims to discuss the importance of having several entry points into the field, via gatekeepers who do not belong to law enforcement agencies, in contexts where the police cannot be defined as trustworthy. Design/methodology/approach The argumentation of this paper is based on qualitative research on women and gangs in Honduras. An ethnographical methodology was implemented, which included over a year of observations, 65 interviews and two focus groups in gang-controlled communities and detention centers in Central America (with a focus on Honduras), between 2017 and 2020. The paper implements a feminist reflexive approach, focusing on patriarchy, positionality and silence. Findings Collaborating with the police as gatekeepers in gang research needs to be reevaluated. In countries such as Honduras, the police are riddled with corruption and impunity, which eventually leads to mistrust among gang members and other citizens. Hence, it is recommended to approach other, non-law enforcement, gatekeepers, who often stand much closer to the gangs and have a less conflicted or biased position toward them and toward other people living in gang areas. Research limitations/implications A feminist reflexive approach is recommended for researching women and gangs, and thus also for choosing the right gatekeepers in the field, taking into account researchers’ and gatekeepers’ positionality. Originality/value Police corruption in relation to gangs and gang-related crimes often goes unreported and silences people living in gang-controlled areas. This paper exposes these conflicted roles, not only regarding police abuse vis-à-vis gangs and people living in gang areas but also in relation to gang researchers in the field.

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Schram, Pamela J., and Larry K. Gaines. "Examining Delinquent Nongang Members and Delinquent Gang Members." Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 3, no. 2 (April 2005): 99–115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1541204004273312.

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Toch, Hans. "Sequestering Gang Members, Burning Witches, and Subverting Due Process." Criminal Justice and Behavior 34, no. 2 (February 2007): 274–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854806296663.

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There are striking parallels between the procedures relied on by medieval inquisitors in persecuting witches and those used by American prison administrators in “classification” proceedings through which gang members are indefinitely sequestered based on evidence of gang affiliation. In both cases, due process is nominal and minimal, there is considerable reliance on information obtained from confidential informants, personal stigmata are summated and submitted as incriminating evidence, and defendants are encouraged to confess and debrief. In both cases, the advertised goal of the process involves concern for safety and survival of the system. In the case of prisons, this goal gains credence from the fact that most efforts to monitor and control gang behavior have had limited success. The experience of failure has been understandably frustrating for prison officials, and recourse to the punitive segregation of gang members (under the guise of preempting gang violence) represents a measure of this frustration.

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Carson, Dena C., and James V. Ray. "Do Psychopathic Traits Distinguish Trajectories of Gang Membership?" Criminal Justice and Behavior 46, no. 9 (September 2019): 1337–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854819867388.

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Prior work that examines different stages of gang membership (joining, time in gang, and leaving) indicates that the gang experience is unique to each individual member. However, we know little about what accounts for variations in the gang experience; particularly, with regard to the role of individual-level characteristics. This article helps to fill this gap by examining how trajectories of gang membership vary based on one multifaceted individual-level characteristic: psychopathy. Some prior work suggests that gang members high in psychopathic traits are attracted to gang life and more likely to hold leadership roles in the gang. Other work indicates that those high in psychopathy are not well suited for gang membership. We make use of the Pathways to Desistance data and group-based trajectory modeling to examine these relationships. Results indicate that the relationship between psychopathy and gang membership is dependent upon the distinct factors of psychopathy.

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Goldman, Liran, Howard Giles, and Michael A. Hogg. "Going to extremes: Social identity and communication processes associated with gang membership." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (March 27, 2014): 813–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214524289.

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Gang violence, endemic to many communities in the United States and around the world is a very significant social problem. Given that the messages conveyed by, and the rivalries associated with, gang identities readily invoke constructs and processes familiar to the social psychological study of social identity, intergroup relations, and communication (Lauger, 2012), it is surprising that social psychologists have not advanced such an analysis of gangs. In attempt to fill this void and set a research agenda, this theoretical article examines the role social identity and identity-related communication play in promoting affiliation with gangs, particularly among youth who confront uncertainties and strive for family-like protection. The article discusses messaging communicated by gang members and reasons why youth adopt antisocial (e.g., violent) rather than prosocial behaviors. It also explores ways to diminish the allure of gang membership and raises questions for future research.

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Thomas, Kyle J., and Terrance J. Taylor. "Reflections on the utility of school-based surveys for gang research." Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 13, no. 2/3 (May 18, 2021): 96–109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-12-2020-0567.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the utility of school-based research for studying gangs and gang members. Police–researcher collaborations have led to considerable advancements in the understanding of gang involvement and its consequences. But the current social environment should encourage scholars to take stock of alternative methodologies to examine gang-related questions. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors reflect on the advantages of school-based research designs for studying gang affiliated youth, primarily contrasting the data derived from school-based designs to official data from police. Findings xSpecifically, the authors discuss the key advantages of school-based survey research, identify concerns that can arise from such designs and offer recommendations as to how to mitigate such concerns. Originality/value This paper provides a discussion on the utility of gang-related research and guidance on addressing potential limitations.

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Dmitrieva, Julia, Lauren Gibson, Laurence Steinberg, Alex Piquero, and Jeffrey Fagan. "Predictors and Consequences of Gang Membership: Comparing Gang Members, Gang Leaders, and Non-Gang-Affiliated Adjudicated Youth." Journal of Research on Adolescence 24, no. 2 (May 23, 2014): 220–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jora.12111.

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Kelly, Jane F., and Catherine L. Ward. "Narratives of Gang Disengagement Among Former Gang Members in South Africa." Criminal Justice and Behavior 47, no. 11 (August 12, 2020): 1509–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854820949603.

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Understanding gang disengagement is important for the development of effective interventions. This research sought to examine how former South African gang members understand their gang disengagement. Two rounds of life history interviews were conducted with 12 former gang members. Thematic narrative analysis was used to analyze the interview data. Findings revealed that personal agency was key to the participants’ disengagement, which included forming a purposive intention to change, committing to and maintaining this change, despite challenges faced, and taking personal responsibility for their pasts. It also involved actively drawing on protective resources—such as meaningful and practical support from loved ones—and prosocial identities available to them within their environments, thus illustrating how the disengagement process is an interaction between inner and outer resources. Therefore, it is imperative that gang-related interventions ensure that individuals have access to the kinds of resources that will support their disengagement.

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Deuchar, Ross. "‘I Get More in Contact with My Soul’: Gang Disengagement, Desistance and the Role of Spirituality." Youth Justice 20, no. 1-2 (November 28, 2019): 113–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473225419889195.

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This article explores the links between gangs, masculinity, religion, spirituality and desistance from an international perspective. It presents insights from life history interviews conducted with a small sample of 17 male reforming gang members in Denmark who had become immersed in a holistic spiritual intervention programme that foregrounded meditation, yoga and dynamic breathing techniques. Engagement with the programme enabled the men to begin to perform broader versions of masculinity, experience improved mental health and well-being and develop a greater commitment to criminal desistance. Links with religious and spiritual engagement are discussed, and policy implications for the UK gang context included.

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Frisby-Osman, Sarah, and Jane L. Wood. "Rethinking How We View Gang Members: An Examination into Affective, Behavioral, and Mental Health Predictors of UK Gang-Involved Youth." Youth Justice 20, no. 1-2 (January 16, 2020): 93–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473225419893779.

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Mental health difficulties, conduct problems, and emotional maladjustment predict a range of negative outcomes, and this may include gang involvement. However, few studies have examined how behavioral, mental health, socio-cognitive, and emotional factors all relate to adolescent gang involvement. This study examined 91 adolescents to compare non-gang with gang-involved youth on their conduct problems, emotional distress, guilt-proneness, anxiety and depression, and use of moral disengagement and rumination. Analyses revealed that gang-involved youth had higher levels of anxiety, depression, moral disengagement, and rumination. Gang-involved youth also had higher levels of conduct disorder and exposure to violence, but they did not differ from non-gang youth on levels of emotional distress and guilt-proneness. Discriminant function analysis further showed that conduct problems, moral disengagement, and rumination were the most important predictors of gang involvement. Discussion focuses on how intervention and prevention efforts to tackle gang involvement need to consider the mental health and behavioral needs of gang-involved youth. Further research is also needed to build an evidence base that identifies the cause/effect relationship between mental health and gang involvement to inform the best practice when tackling gang membership.

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Alleyne, Emma, Isabel Fernandes, and Elizabeth Pritchard. "Denying humanness to victims: How gang members justify violent behavior." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 17, no. 6 (June 19, 2014): 750–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430214536064.

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The high prevalence of violent offending amongst gang-involved youth has been established in the literature. Yet the underlying psychological mechanisms that enable youth to engage in such acts of violence remain unclear. One hundred eighty-nine young people were recruited from areas in London, UK, known for their gang activity. We found that gang members, in comparison to nongang youth, described the groups they belong to as having recognized leaders, specific rules and codes, initiation rituals, and special clothing. Gang members were also more likely than nongang youth to engage in violent behavior and endorse moral disengagement strategies (i.e., moral justification, euphemistic language, advantageous comparison, displacement of responsibility, attribution of blame, and dehumanization). Finally, we found that dehumanizing victims partially mediated the relationship between gang membership and violent behavior. These findings highlight the effects of groups at the individual level and an underlying psychological mechanism that explains, in part, how gang members engage in violence.

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Gutierrez-Adams, Erin, Desdamona Rios, and Kim A. Case. "Female Gang Members Negotiating Privilege, Power, and Oppression within Family and Gang Life." Women & Therapy 43, no. 3-4 (May 13, 2020): 287–308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2020.1729474.

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Van Hellemont, Elke, and James Densley. "If crime is not the problem, crime fighting is no solution: policing gang violence in the age of abolition." Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 13, no. 2/3 (June 24, 2021): 136–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-12-2020-0561.

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Purpose In their 1999 classic, Crime is Not the Problem, Zimring and Hawkins changed the way criminologists thought about crime and violence simply by forcing us to distinguish between them. In so doing, they advanced an agenda for a more effective response to the real “crime” problem in America – violence. In this short commentary, the authors apply this logic to gang research and responses. The authors argue police fall short in responding to “gangs” because researchers and policymakers have defined them in terms of criminal behaviour writ large, not the problem that really needs policing – the precise social and spatial dynamics of gang violence. The purpose of this paper is to stand on the shoulders of others who have stated violence trumps gangs when it comes to policy and practice and provide a conceptual review of the literature that captures mainstream and critical perspectives on gangs and offers both sides some common ground to start from as they contemplate “policing” gangs with or without police. Design/methodology/approach A review of the extant literature. Findings The authors stand on the shoulders of others who have stated violence trumps gangs when it comes to policy and practice, to provide a conceptual review of the literature that captures mainstream and critical perspectives on gangs, in North American and European contexts, and offers both sides some common ground to start from as they contemplate “policing” gangs with or without police. Originality/value The paper is a conceptual piece looking at policing gang violence versus gang crime. The paper aims to restart the debate around the role of crime in gangs and gangs in crime. This debate centres around whether gangs should be understood as primarily criminal groups, whether “the gang” is to blame for the crime and violence of its members and what feature of collective crime and violence designate “gangness”. We use that debate to reflect past and current police practices towards gangs.

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Chui, Wing Hong, and Paul Vinod Khiatani. "Delinquency Among Members of Hong Kong Youth Street Gangs: The Role of the Organizational Structures of Gangs and Triad Affiliations." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 62, no. 9 (September 12, 2017): 2527–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x17730616.

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This study explores the importance of organizational structures and formal affiliations with the Hong Kong triads to delinquency among youth street gang members in Hong Kong. More specifically, this study examines the relative importance of the number of organizational structures and triad affiliation to patterns of delinquency in a sample of active members of youth street gangs ( N = 201). With the aid of outreach social workers, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit a gender-balanced sample of at-risk youths. Logistic regression analysis of the survey data that was gathered indicated that formal affiliation to Hong Kong triads and the presence of organizational structures significantly increased the odds of delinquency (independently of each other). Suggestions for future research on gang membership and delinquency, with particular reference to the Asian context, are provided.

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Kearney, Edmund M. "Ethical Dilemmas in the Treatment of Adolescent Gang Members." Ethics & Behavior 8, no. 1 (March 1998): 49–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327019eb0801_4.

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Lozon, Jeffrey, and Moshe Bensimon. "A Systematic Review on the Functions of Rap Among Gangs." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 61, no. 11 (November 27, 2015): 1243–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x15618430.

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Although the field of gangs is well studied, information regarding the way gangs may use or misuse music for different needs is sparse. The aim of this systematic review is to gather descriptive and empirical information to ascertain the important roles rap music possesses within gang life. This review suggests five main functions of rap used within gangs with an emphasis on the subgenre of gangsta rap. First, rap facilitates antisocial behavior by reinforcing such messages in its lyrics. Second, its deviant lyrics serve as a reflection of the violent reality experienced in many urban ghetto communities. Third, it operates as a means for constructing individual and collective identity, as well as resistance identity. Fourth, it functions as an educating force by teaching its members how to act and respond in the urban ghetto. Finally, rap glorifies gang norms among newcomers and successfully spreads its values to the general population.

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Whitney‐Snel, Kendall, Christine E. Valdez, and Jessica Totaan. "“We break the cycle…”: Motivations for prosocial advocacy among former gang members to end gang involvement." Journal of Community Psychology 48, no. 6 (June 5, 2020): 1929–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22390.

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Gagnon, Analisa. "Extending Social Learning Theory to Explain Victimization Among Gang and Ex-Gang Offenders." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 62, no. 13 (March 19, 2018): 4124–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x18763761.

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This study is among the first to extend and test social learning theory’s ability to understand property and violent victimization. It specifically tests whether aspects of definitions, differential reinforcement, and differential association/modeling can explain the three types of victimization of gang members: actual experience, perception of likelihood, and fear. The sample consists of over 300 male and female gang members incarcerated in jails throughout Florida. The results show that all three types of victimization can be explained by the three aspects of social learning theory.

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Møller, Kim. "Forbuddet mod Loyal to Familia." Nordisk Tidsskrift for Kriminalvidenskab 109, no. 3 (October 25, 2022): 399–413. http://dx.doi.org/10.7146/ntfk.v109i3.134402.

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AbstractOn 1 September 2021, the Danish Supreme Court banned the gang Loyal to Familia (LTF) because it had an illegal aim and was therefore classified as an illegal association. This sentence marks a new understanding of the material limits to the constitutional freedom of association. It was the third ban of a Danish association, and the first ban of an association that did not have the aim of overthrowing democracy. Using court transcripts, this article describes the contents and major themes in the evidence presented by the prosecutor. The gang’s organisation was structured and hierarchical as based on recovered documents described as containing membership lists, titles, fees and collective economic resources. Members committed a broad range of serious violent and drug-related offenses. Incarrcerated members of the gang violently attacked prison guards. In two instances, these attacks occurred outside of prisons on the behest of the gang. The courts agreed that the gang itself facilitated some of the violence and drug offending. While their motivations differed, all three courts agreed that Danish society had a constitutional right. The courts also agreed that the administratively issued temporary ban on the gang from 2018 was legal.

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Nydegger, Liesl A., Katherine Quinn, Jennifer L. Walsh, Maria L. Pacella‐LaBarbara, and Julia Dickson‐Gomez. "Polytraumatization, Mental Health, and Delinquency Among Adolescent Gang Members." Journal of Traumatic Stress 32, no. 6 (December 2019): 890–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.22473.

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Akerman, Geraldine Ann. "Gangs and groups: the impact on therapeutic processes." Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities 39, no. 1 (April 9, 2018): 50–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/tc-09-2017-0025.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the impact having been in a gang has on being in a group in a democratic therapeutic community (DTC). In particular what characteristics attract (in this case) males to join a gang and or group, and what is the impact on a DTC of having former gang members in it. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a discussion paper considering the implications of the points raised above. It also includes results of research relating to the “Changing the Game” programme. Findings The findings result from experience of having worked in the environment, reviewing available literature, conducting research and having managed some of the issues raised. It is not a research paper but does present findings. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper which incorporates findings from this author and others on the impact of gangs in a DTC. There is limited research in this area and so much is drawn from findings in other settings. Originality/value Little is written on the impact of having been in a gang and the dynamics that introduces in a forensic DTC. Therefore, it is hoped that it will encourage further research in this area.

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Walker, D’Andre, and Gabriel T. Cesar. "Examining the “Gang Penalty” in the Juvenile Justice System: A Focal Concerns Perspective." Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 18, no. 4 (April 15, 2020): 315–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1541204020916238.

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There are hundreds of thousands of juvenile gang members in the United States who are at heightened risk of criminal offending, violent victimization, and incarceration. Importantly, however, incarceration in itself is a lifelong risk factor for negative social outcomes. That said, little is known about the effects of gang membership on the sentencing outcomes of juvenile offenders. The primary research question of the current study is: How does self-reported gang membership influence the likelihood of incarceration relative to similarly situated non-gang-involved juvenile defendants? To address this question, the current study uses data obtained from the Pathways to Desistance study. In a sample of 1,067 serious adolescent offenders drawn from Wave I, results show that gang affiliation is a significant predictor of incarceration. This finding was consistent across the two study sites (Phoenix, AZ, and Philadelphia, PA), ultimately providing support for a “gang penalty” in juvenile sentencing outcomes. The implications for future research, juvenile justice policy, and youth development are discussed.

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Valdez, Avelardo, Charles D. Kaplan, and Edward Codina. "Psychopathy among Mexican American Gang Members: A Comparative Study." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 44, no. 1 (February 2000): 46–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x00441005.

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Moloney, M., K. MacKenzie, G. Hunt, and K. Joe-Laidler. "The Path and Promise of Fatherhood for Gang Members." British Journal of Criminology 49, no. 3 (January 6, 2009): 305–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azp003.

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Young, Tara. "Girls and Gangs: ‘Shemale’ Gangsters in the UK?" Youth Justice 9, no. 3 (December 2009): 224–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473225409345101.

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In recent years there have been a number of high profile stories reporting increasing levels of female involvement in group related crime. According to these reports teenage girls are no longer spectators hovering on the periphery of street gangs but are hard core members actively engaging in the kind of extreme violence that is usually the preserve of men. As girl ‘gangsters’, young women are seen to be engaging in a wide range of crimes such as robbery, rape and murder. Using findings from an empirical study on young people’s use of weapons and involvement in street based groups, this article examines female involvement in ‘gangs’ and their violent behaviour. It challenges the dominant stereotype of girl ‘gangsters’ as malicious violent aggressors. The notion of the gang and implications for policy and practice will also be considered.

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Di Placido, Chantal, Terri L. Simon, Treena D. Witte, Deqiang Gu, and Stephen C. P. Wong. "Treatment of Gang Members Can Reduce Recidivism and Institutional Misconduct." Law and Human Behavior 30, no. 1 (2006): 93–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10979-006-9003-6.

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Goodwill, Alanaise. "A Critical Incident Technique Study of the Facilitation of Gang Entry: Perspectives of Indigenous Men Ex-Gang Members." Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma 25, no. 5 (April 13, 2016): 518–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1129658.

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Taylor, Carl S., Richard M. Lerner, Alexander von Eye, Deborah L. Bobek, Aida Bilalbegović Balsano, Elizabeth M. Dowling, and Pamela M. Anderson. "Internal and External Developmental Assets Among African American Male Gang Members." Journal of Adolescent Research 19, no. 3 (May 2004): 303–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0743558403258842.

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Fleisher, Mark S., and Jessie L. Krienert. "Life-course events, social networks, and the emergence of violence among female gang members." Journal of Community Psychology 32, no. 5 (2004): 607–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20022.

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Bolger, Laura, and Adrian Needs. "An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experience of Ex-Gang Members as They Transition into and Out of Gangs." Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice 22, no. 2 (November 18, 2021): 186–219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2021.1973233.

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Valdivia Ramirez, Olimpia M., Caroline Faria, and Rebecca Maria Torres. "Good boys, gang members, asylum gained and lost: The devastating reflections of a bureaucrat-ethnographer." Emotion, Space and Society 38 (February 2021): 100758. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2020.100758.

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Robinson, Grace, Robert McLean, and James Densley. "Working County Lines: Child Criminal Exploitation and Illicit Drug Dealing in Glasgow and Merseyside." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 63, no. 5 (October 19, 2018): 694–711. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x18806742.

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This article explores recent developments within the U.K. drug market: that is, the commuting of gang members from major cities to small rural urban areas for the purpose of enhancing their profit from drug distribution. Such practice has come to be known as working “County Lines.” We present findings drawn from qualitative research with practitioners working to address serious and organized crime and participants involved in street gangs and illicit drug supply in both Glasgow and Merseyside, United Kingdom. We find evidence of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) in County Lines activity, often as a result of debt bondage; but also, cases of young people working the lines of their own volition to obtain financial and status rewards. In conclusion, we put forward a series of recommendations which are aimed at informing police strategy, practitioner intervention, and wider governmental policy to effectively address this growing, and highly problematic, phenomenon.

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Walters, Glenn D. "Positive Parents and Negative Peers: Assessing the Nature and Order of Caregiver and Friend Effects in Predicting Early Delinquency." Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 18, no. 1 (February 20, 2019): 96–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1541204019831751.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nature and direction of the relationship between parenting and peer effects in predicting early delinquency. The parenting–peer relationship was evaluated in 1,734 (811 male, 923 female) early adolescent members (mean age = 12.10 years) of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) study. A seven-equation path analysis was performed across three waves of data. The statistical significance of 16 indirect effects was evaluated using the Monte Carlo Method for Assessing Mediation. Two of the three pathways predicted to be significant were, in fact, significant (i.e., parental support to gang affiliation to participant delinquency; parental support to peer delinquency to participant delinquency), and all 13 pathways projected to be nonsignificant were, in fact, nonsignificant. Consistent with the research hypothesis for this study, prior parental support acted as a buffer against the delinquency-promoting effects of negative peer associations in early adolescent children.

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Phelan, Michael P., and Scott A. Hunt. "Prison Gang Members' Tattoos as Identity Work: The Visual Communication of Moral Careers." Symbolic Interaction 21, no. 3 (August 1998): 277–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/si.1998.21.3.277.

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Narag, Raymund E., and Sou Lee. "Putting Out Fires: Understanding the Developmental Nature and Roles of Inmate Gangs in the Philippine Overcrowded Jails." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 62, no. 11 (December 3, 2017): 3509–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624x17744726.

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Utilizing intensive interview data from inmates in one of the most overcrowded and underresourced jails in Metro Manila, Philippines, this article explores the origins and roles of inmate pangkats (a derivative of gangs) in jail management. Responding to institutional deficiencies, such as police misconduct and court case delays, and structural shortages, such as lack of space, operational resources, and personnel, this article investigates how the pangkats supplement jail management and help keep the jail operations afloat. Specifically, this article documents how the pangkats put out fires: their intricate roles in mitigating pains of imprisonment, conflict mediation, order maintenance, and instilling discipline among their members. This article also details the emergence of a give-and-take relationship that develops between and among the pangkats and jail officials that are reflective of the Philippine sociocultural realities. Implications to theory on prison community and policy on gang management in a developing country context are discussed.

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Journal articles on the topic 'Gang members – psychology'

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