NCJ Number
148512
Date Published
1992
Length
37 pages
Annotation
A study involving a sample of 361 Asian students examined whether traditional hypotheses of juvenile gang membership are relevant for explaining aspects of the gang problem among this population.
Abstract
The results showed that in many respects, Asian students face similar gang-related problems and risk factors as do white, black, and Hispanic youth. High self-esteem and high internal locus of control were correlated with high grades but not with gang membership per se. The belief in good luck and the academic vulnerability factor were both significantly related to fighting behavior and gang involvement. The strongest predictors of gang membership were having close friends who were gang members, having close friends who used drugs, and having one or more fights in the past year. A discriminant analysis correctly identified 83 percent of the subjects who were gang members. 15 tables, 12 notes, and 35 references