NCJ Number
229748
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2010 Pages: 100-111
Date Published
March 2010
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This review considers the role of theory and research in understanding why youth join gangs and it identifies a large number of problematic issues that need to be overcome.
Abstract
Recent years have seen an upsurge of attention paid to street gangs as scholars and criminal justice officials strive to understand and counteract the effects of gang membership. Yet, despite a wealth of theoretical frameworks and empirical findings, even fundamental issues such as an agreed definition continue to elude individuals. This review considers some of the most influential theoretical frameworks and associated empirical findings and finds that as it stands, knowledge on gangs is still limited and muddy. It is suggested that future directions should adopt a more multidisciplinary approach to the study of gangs. To this end, it is argued that there is a role for psychology in this important body of work, and that its involvement will provide a deeper and more meaningful understanding of gangs and the youth who join them. Figure and references (Published Abstract)