Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Origins of On Gangs
The Structure of On Gangs
Part I: Core Issues
1. Defining Gangs, Gang Members, and Gang Crime
Defining a Gang
Defining a Gang Member
Counting Gangs, Gang Members, and Gang Crimes
History and Trends in Gangs and Gang Behaviors
Correlates of Gang Involvement
Conclusion
2. Structure, Culture, and Gangs in Communities
The Unequal Distribution of Gang Activity: A Tale of Two Communities
Emergence and Persistence of Gangs in Communities: An Organizing Framework
Empirical Research on Gangs in Communities
Conclusion
3. Gang Structure and Organization
The Organizational Structure of Gangs
The Features and Characteristics of Gangs
Comparing Gangs to Other Criminal Groups
Conclusion
4. Joining the Gang
A Life-Course Perspective on Gang Membership
Gang Embeddedness
Why Do Some People End Up in Gangs When Others Do Not?
Why Do Youth Join Gangs?
How Do Youth Join Gangs?
Conclusion
5. Continuity and Change in Gang Membership
Defining Persistence and Disengagement
Continuity in Gang Membership
Disengagement from Gangs
Conclusion
6. Gangs, Crime, and Violence
Overrepresentation of Gang Members as Offenders and Victims
Theoretical Models of Gang Membership, Crime, and Victimization
Group Process and the Enhancement Effect
Gangs, Networks, and the Cycle of Violence
Conclusion
Part II: Emerging and Critical Issues
7. Women, Gender, and Gangs
The Scope of Female Gang Involvement
Perspectives on Females and Gangs: Liberated, Exploited, or Marginalized?
Girls in the Gang
Masculinities, Gender, and Gangs
Conclusion
8. Race, Ethnicity, and Gangs
The Racialized Construction of Criminal Gangs
The Prevalence of Gang Membership by Race and Ethnicity
Racial and Ethnic Homophily in Gangs
Immigration and Gang Formation
Racism and Gang Formation
(Sub)Culture, Migration, Appropriation, and Gangs
Conclusion
9. Gangs around the World
Gangs in Europe (and Beyond)
Gangs in the United Kingdom
Gangs in Canada
Gangs in Latin America and the Caribbean
Gangs in Africa, Asia, and Oceania
Conclusion
10. Gangs and Social Institutions
Gangs and Traditional Social Institutions
Gangs, Media, and Technology
Is the Gang a Social Institution?
Conclusion
Part III: Responding to Gangs
11. Policing Gangs
The Police Role in Gang Prevention
The Police Role in Gang Suppression
Policing Gangs beyond Suppression
Police Gang Units
Police Gang Databases
Conclusion
12. Gangs and Gang Members in Prison
Defining and Measuring Gangs and Gang Membership in Prison
The Contested Emergence and Proliferation of Gangs in Prison
Theories of Prison Gang Emergence
The Characteristics of Prison Gangs
Transitions in Prison Gang Membership
Offending and Victimization in Prison
Responding to Prison Gangs
Gang Members, Reentry, and Recidivism
Conclusion
13. Anti-gang Legislation and Legal Responses
The Purpose of Anti-gang Legislation
Targeted Gang Legislation
Repurposed Gang Legislation
Auxiliary Gang Legislation: The 1994 Crime Bill
Gangs and the Courtroom
Conclusion
What Works and Best Practices in Gang Intervention
Gang Response Strategies
Multicomponent Approaches
Assessing the Gang Intervention Findings
Assessing a “Promising Practice”: A Case of Implementation Failure
Continuing Issues in Responding to Gangs
Conclusion
References
Index of Names
Index of Subjects