Objectives:

This study examines gang group processes on the digital street to understand if gang processes in the online environment mimic those on geographic street corners. Specifically, this paper examines what conditions influence whether gangs interact negatively or positively in online spaces and how online interactions relate to geographic proximity of gangs.

Methods:

This study uses digital trace data web scraped from a public Facebook about Chicago Latina/o gangs combined with geographic locations of gang territories. Negative binomial regression models are used to investigate the conditions under which gangs interact with one another.

Results:

This study finds that interactions among gangs are conditional on the type of post displayed and negative gang interactions in online spaces are moderately correlated with geographic proximity.

Conclusions:

The tendency to show identification with the gang group or hostility to rival groups is not always evident. Rather, interactions are contextualized in the situation of the online environment. In addition, in our sample geographic proximity is not a primary condition of gang interactions. The digital street enables gang members to interact with other gangs in faraway locales and individuals in close geographic proximity. We find gang members take the opportunity to interact with both groups.

中文翻译：

---

[Face]Book 上的 Gangbangin：了解芝加哥拉丁裔/o 帮派的在线互动

 目标：

这项研究检查了数字街道上的帮派流程，以了解在线环境中的帮派流程是否模仿地理街角的帮派流程。具体来说，本文研究了哪些条件会影响帮派在网络空间中进行消极或积极的互动，以及在线互动与帮派的地理邻近性有何关系。

 方法：

这项研究使用从公共 Facebook 上抓取的有关芝加哥拉丁/黑人帮派的数字追踪数据网络，并结合帮派地区的地理位置。负二项回归模型用于研究帮派之间相互作用的条件。

 结果：

这项研究发现，帮派之间的互动取决于所显示帖子的类型，而在线空间中的负面帮派互动与地理邻近度存在适度相关。

 结论：

对帮派团体的认同或对敌对团体的敌意的倾向并不总是很明显。相反，交互是在在线环境的情况下进行的。此外，在我们的样本中，地理邻近并不是帮派互动的主要条件。数字街道使帮派成员能够与遥远地区的其他帮派和地理位置接近的个人进行互动。我们发现帮派成员利用这个机会与两个群体进行互动。