Examining the moderating role of gang involvement on the context and impact of victimization

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -Research suggests that gang-involved youth are more likely than non-gang youth to experience victimization. However, very little research has addressed the issue of whether the relationship between gang involvement and victimization depends on the context in which victimization takes place. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of the relation between gang involvement and violent victimization in both street and school contexts. Design/methodology/approach -Data were provided by youth (n ¼ 421; ages 11-18; 70 percent male; 66 percent non-white) referred by the justice system for intensive home and community-based treatment of problem behavior. At intake, youth reported on their experiences of violent victimization, mental health status, problem behavior, and substance use. Youth and therapist reports were utilized to indicate gang involvement.Findings -Approximately 62 percent of gang-involved youth in the sample were victimized across both contexts. Linear and censored regression models found that on average, gang-involved youth experienced a greater frequency of victimization than non-gang youth (p o0.001). Importantly, results also show that gang involvement amplifies the impact of victimization on key behavioral and mental health outcomes. Victimization in both street and school contexts increases the risk of serious problem behavior for gang-involved youth (po0.001). Victimization experiences in schools in particular also may increase alcohol use among ganginvolved youth (p ¼ 0.006). Originality/value -These findings emanating from a unique sample of youth in treatment demonstrate the value of considering victimization in context for intervention programming.

Trauma Exposure and Mental Health Needs Among Adolescents Involved With the Juvenile Justice System

“…Trauma assessment is also critical with respect to gang-involved youth who are frequently involved in the justice system (Pyrooz et al, 2016). Gang-involved youth exhibit a wide variety of personal and contextual risk factors at higher levels of severity than other antisocial youth who are not gang-involved (Boxer et al, 2015), including violent victimization (Kubik et al, 2016). Gang-involved youth represent a significant challenge to justice systems given that they might be more resistant to effective treatments (Boxer, 2011(Boxer, , 2019 and the robust association between gang involvement and repeat offending (Pyrooz et al, 2016).…”

What’s Sex (Composition) Got to Do with It? The Importance of Sex Composition of Gangs for Female and Male Members’ Offending and Victimization

“…Given the greater involvement of gang members in risky lifestyles and behavior (e.g., Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, & Peterson, 2008), they may also be more likely to be victimized. Although many gang members, both female and male, report having joined their gangs for protection (e.g., Peterson, Taylor, & Esbensen, 2004;Thornberry et al, 2003), after joining, they find that while their fellow gang members protect them from some forms of victimization, such as bullying at school or violence at home, their status as gang members and involvement in the riskier lifestyle associated with gang membership put them at risk for other kinds of victimization, especially violent victimization 3 (DeLisi, Barnes, Beaver, & Gibson, 2009;Esbensen & Huizinga, 1993;Katz, Webb, Fox, & Shaffer, 2011;Kubik et al, 2016;Melde, Taylor, & Esbensen, 2009;Miller, 2001;Miller & Decker, 2001;Nurge, 2003;Peterson et al, 2004;Pyrooz, Moule, & Decker, 2014;Spano, Freilich, & Bolland, 2008;Taylor et al, 2008;Thornberry et al, 2003;.…”

Understanding gangs: Developing an epistemically pluralist framework for gang research

“…In addition to being overrepresented in crime perpetration statistics, gang members are also more likely to be the victims of crime and violence than non-gang members (Barnes et al, 2012;Kubik et al, 2016;Peterson et al, 2004;T. Taylor et al, 2007;T.…”