Gang Membership as a Risk Factor for Adolescent Violent Victimization

Abstract

Youth gangs and violence have received substantial scholarly and public attention during the past two decades. While most of the extant research on youth gang members has focused on their offending behaviors, few quantitative studies have been conducted to examine the link between gang membership and violent victimization. The current study uses data from a multi-site study of youth to explore potential factors related to this increased risk. These findings suggest that gang members are more likely to experience violent victimization, as well as greater frequency of victimization, than do non-gang members. Furthermore, gang membership remains a significant correlate of the annual prevalence of victimization net other individual, family, peer, school, and situational factors. The relationship, however, is complex and dependent upon the type of victimization examined.

An Investigation of Juvenile Gang Membership and Psychopathic Behavior: Evidence from Multilinear Analysis

“…Gang membership increases an individual's probability of experiencing victimization, which is supported within the extant literature (Yoder, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2003;Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007;Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, & Peterson, 2008;Delisi, Barnes, Beaver, & Gibson, 2009;Webb, Ren, Zhoa, He, & Marshall, 2011;Barnes, Boutwell, & Fox, 2012;Bendixen, Endersen, & Olwens, 2006). This may be the result of the delinquent mediating relationship associated with gang membership (Bendixen, Endersen, & Olwens, 2006).…”

“…There are a myriad of plausible explanations for this phenomena, increased involvement in antisocial behavior (drug trafficking), gang wars, retaliation. Furthermore, gang member are more likely to experience victimization from members within their gang in comparison to rival gang members (Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007). Even though there is substantial evidence (Yoder, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2003;Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007;Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, & Peterson, 2008;Delisi, Barnes, Beaver, & Gibson, 2009;Webb, Ren, Zhoa, He, & Marshall, 2011;Barnes, Boutwell, & Fox, 2012) also report that gang members are likely to perpetrate more criminality in comparison to their non-delinquent peers.…”

“…Furthermore, gang member are more likely to experience victimization from members within their gang in comparison to rival gang members (Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007). Even though there is substantial evidence (Yoder, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2003;Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007;Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, & Peterson, 2008;Delisi, Barnes, Beaver, & Gibson, 2009;Webb, Ren, Zhoa, He, & Marshall, 2011;Barnes, Boutwell, & Fox, 2012) also report that gang members are likely to perpetrate more criminality in comparison to their non-delinquent peers. The literature has provided evidence: (1) that males are more likely to join gangs, (2) gang members are usually younger than non-members, (3) gang members are derived from low socioeconomic regions, and (4) minorities are more likely to involve themselves with gangs (https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/survey-analysis/demographics; Yoder, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2003).…”

“…There are five categories of risk protective factors identified within the extant literature which are categorized into individual, family, peer, school, and community (Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007). Individual risk and protective factor that are associated with violent victimization are: self-control, demographics, guilt and neutralizations.…”

“…Individual risk and protective factor that are associated with violent victimization are: self-control, demographics, guilt and neutralizations. Family factors include parental monitoring, attachment styles with guardians (Taylor, Peterson, Esbensen, & Freng, 2007). Peer domain encompass commitment to sociably acceptable behavior, delinquent peers.…”