NCJ Number
197744
Journal
Journal of Gang Research Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: Fall 2002 Pages: 47-65
Date Published
2002
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the characteristics of the “new” female gang member.
Abstract
The popular view among gang experts is that women participate in gang activities more than is evident. There are three classifications of female gangs: auxiliary groups, sexual integrated groups, and independent autonomous gangs. Female auxiliary groups exist within male gangs and are viewed as subordinate. Research confirms that most females belong to auxiliary groups. Sexual integrated gangs are composed of males and females that share the same leadership. Females are considered the property of the gang and lack freedom to make significant decisions for the group. Independent autonomous female gangs are made up exclusively of females. This type of gang liberates females from male dominance and influence. A research project begun in May 2001 proposed three questions: (1) what is the role of females within the context of gangs; (2) are female gang members more than sexual objects to male gang members; and (3) is the “new” female gang member an anomaly or evolution. The three methodologies consisted of content analysis, qualitative data provided by a female gang member, and existing statistics collected by the Department of Justice. The findings show that the roles of the female gang member have changed substantially over the decades. Female gang members from the 1990's to the present are the “new” females. They are independent and business-oriented. They represent a new breed of female gang members. They are not looked upon as mere sexual objects. This could be due to their willingness to engage in extreme uses of violence, their participation in the drug trade, and their ability to go undetected. The attraction of gangs for females is similar to why males commit crimes and are attracted to gangs. Traditional criminological explanations such as choice theory, structural theory, social processing, and pathway theory could explain why females offend within the context of gangs. Growing up in a disadvantaged environment with negative role models could set a female on a criminal career path. 1 table, 66 references