Risk Factors for Gang Membership in Urban Areas and Potential Preventative Measures Samuel Portnow Adolescent Development NYU Spring 2007

“Streets gangs are an amalgam of racism, of urban underclass poverty, of minority and youth culture, of fatalism in the face of rampant deprivation, of political insensitivity, and the gross ignorance of inner-city American on the part of most of us who don’t have to survive there” Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000).

Reasons for Joining a Gang Some youths join gangs because of needs or wishes for recognition, status, safety, or security, power, money, excitement ( Spergel, 1995) The youths seek identity and self-esteem ( Spergel, 1995). The search for identity and self-esteem is a characteristic for all adolescents in America, due to the enhanced cognitive capacity of adolescents and American culture’s emphasis on the individual ( Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen, 2007).

More on Identity Gang members look for identity and stability in the gang and adopt the customs that are associated with an attachment to and identification with gangs ( Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000). Gang members feel marginalized in multiple ways prior to joining the gang ( Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000). The marginalities they experience are being of low socioeconomic status, street socialization, and segregation ( Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000). For gang members, school and family do not work as sources for identity ( Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000).

Risk Factors Risk factors for gang involvement include known association with gang members; presence of neighborhood gangs; having a relative in a gang; failure at school; delinquency record, particularly for aggressive acts; and drug abuse ( Spergel, 1995).

More Factors Hill et. al (2004) found that low bonding with parents is not a significant predictor for gang involvement. In addition, low religious service attendance was not found to be a significant predictor. The strongest predictors of gang involvement are availability of marijuana in the neighborhood, the amount of youth in the neighborhood in trouble, having only one parent, being learning disabled, and early marijuana use. A youth who is learning disabled is 3.6 times more likely than a youth who is not to join a gang. Risk factors are additive; that is, the more risk factors that a youth has, the more likely they will be involved in a gang.

Family Factors for Joining a Gang Family factors for joining a gang include living in non- intact families, left home alone at night, and low support from one’s father (Winfree, Thomas Jr, 1996). Interestingly, Winfree et al. (1996) found that family variables such as parents’ education, parents’ reaction to putative gang membership, and mothers’ support were not significant factors for gang membership. These variables are no more associated with gang membership than with antisocial behavior in general.

Friends The high the number of best friends in gangs, the higher the level of reported group-context offending ( Esbensen, Finn- Age 2000). However, this does not mean causation. Adolescents are active agents and choose to have friends who are in gangs ( Arnett, 2007).

Labeling Theory Labeling states that the stigma of the criminal status may increase the probability that the individual becomes involved in deviant social groups (Bernburg, 2006). Jon Gunnar Bernburg et. al (2006)found that official labeling embeds the individual in deviant social groups (i.e., gangs), increasing the likelihood of subsequent deviance and crime. The exclusionary processes triggered by deviant labeling may explain the individual’s movement into a deviant group, as well as the isolation of deviant groups from mainstream social life (Bernburg, 2006).

Preventative Measures Types of prevention strategies:  Primary prevention – focuses on the entire population  Secondary prevention – focuses on individuals who have been identified as being at greater risk for joining a gang.  Tertiary prevention – focuses on individuals already involved in a gang ( Esbensen, 2006)

What Works Primary prevention has statistically significant beneficial effects; however, the effects are small ( Esbensen, 2006). Secondary prevention works the best ( Esbensen, 2006). Tertiary prevention has actually been shown to increase gang behavior. This may be due to labeling theory, as well as the fact that tertiary prevention puts gang members together in a program, increasing gang cohesiveness, an effect known as peer contagion ( Esbensen, 2006).

The How of Prevention Programs The multisystemic approach has shown the best results (Arnett, 2007). This approach intervenes at several levels: the home, the school, and the neighborhood (Arnett, 2007).

Conclusions Joining a gang is dangerous option for adolescents who feel that the gang can offer them recognition, status, safety, security, power, money, excitement, self esteem, identity, as well as a combination of any of the aforementioned reasons for joining a gang. The risk factors for gang involvement are known, and they are additive. The more risk factors and adolescent has, the more likely they will join a gang. Labeling someone as a gang member increases the likelihood one will join a gang, not leave a gang, or both. Prevention programs must identify these risk factors in adolescents and put these at-risk adolescents in multisystemic prevention programs, without labeling them as potential gang members.

Works Cited Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen The Self. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach (pp ). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen Problems. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach (pp ). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bernburg, Jon Gunnar, Krohn Marvin D., & Rivera, Craig J. (2006). Official Labeling, Criminal Embeddedness, and Subsequent Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test of Labeling Theory. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 43, pp Esbensen, Finn-Age (2000). Preventing Adolescent Gang Involvement. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, September, pp Hill Karl G., Lui Christina, & Hawkins David J. Early Precursors of Gang Membership: A Study of Seattle Youth. In Finn-Aage Esbensen. Stephen G. Tibbets. Larry Gaines (Eds.),American Youth Gangs at the Millennium. Waveland Press, Inc.: IL Spergel, Irving A. The Youth Gang Problem: A Community Approach. Oxford University Press: New York Winfree, Thomas Jr., & Mays, Larry G. Family and Peer Influences on Gang Involvement: A Comparison of Institutionalized and Free-World Youth in a Southwestern State. In Mitchell Miller and Jeffrey P Rush (Eds.), Gangs: A Criminal Justice Approach. Anderson Publishing Co. and Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences