NCJ Number
172638
Journal
Educational Psychology Review Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: special issue (March 1995) Pages: 41-68
Date Published
1995
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the nature of gang behavior in American schools, with a particular focus on the extent to which such behavior affects or exacerbates the larger issue of school violence.
Abstract
An unanticipated finding was the absence of strong empirical support for school gang violence. The evidence does show youth gangs have changed dramatically over the last several decades and have become more violent, largely due to drugs and weapons-carrying. One major impact of this violence on schools has been the dissolving of the school as the "neutral zone," where gang activity ceased. Thus, it appears that the "turf" issues of the street gangs have infiltrated the schools. The review explores problems related to school gang violence definitions and literature, trends in school-related gang activity, reasons for gang membership, at-risk youth, and proposed strategies for ameliorating the problem. The article does not attempt to explore the history and theory of youth gang development in the United States, except where such a discussion relates to the school setting. References