NCJ Number
215676
Date Published
2006
Length
320 pages
Annotation
This book offers a critical analysis of street gang patterns and gang control programming in the United States.
Abstract
The introduction begins with establishing the definition of a street gang as “any durable, street-oriented youth group whose involvement in illegal activity is part of its group identity.” The remainder of the book is organized into three sections, each drawing on information from the authors’ own research as well as research data from other sources, such as the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) and longitudinal research projects in Rochester, Denver, and Seattle. Part 1 contains three chapters that focus on the major developments in street gang proliferation and gang control programs. Chapter 1 critically analyzes research on gang prevalence, proliferation, and migration, calling into question findings of major surveys on gang migration, in particular. Chapter 2 turns to a description of major street gang crime patterns, highlighting the versatility of gang criminality and the realities of gang violence. Chapter 3 presents a review of six of the largest gang control programs in the country, all six of which were ultimately considered failures in terms of intervening in gang activity. Part 2 is comprised of another three chapters that present new data on gang issues at the individual, group, and community levels. Chapter 4 focuses on what is known about the risk factors for joining gangs while chapter 5 presents an analysis of street gang structure and group processes, including a discussion of the problems that emerge from the transformation of gang structures over time. Chapter 6 offers an analysis of the city and community contexts in which gangs emerge. Part 3 articulates alternative goals for gang control programming and presents a general model of gang control. Specifically, chapter 7 discusses various goals associated with gang programming before chapter 8 outlines a gang control model that incorporates change at both an individual and group level. Tables, figures, notes, bibliography, index