Arrest and the Amplification of Deviance: Does Gang Membership Moderate the Relationship?

Although research has found that gang suppression efforts are largely ineffective, these policies have been responsible for the arrests of many gang youth. Prior research indicates that arrest is associated with deleterious consequences, but less is known about how arrest uniquely affects gang members. Results of the current study indicate that the consequences of arrest are inconsistent with the goals of suppression tactics, with gang members reporting little to no change in deviant attitudes and peer associations and modest increases in delinquency. Meanwhile, nongang youth experience a range of consequences associated with arrest, including increased odds of joining a gang. (Publisher abstract modified)