ABSTRACT

Studies comparing gang members to similarly situated non-gang members find youth gang involvement is positively associated with experiencing simple and aggravated assault (i.e., violent victimization). This study expands on those studies by using data on gang dynamics from the Denver Youth Survey and bringing theory and concepts directly related to street gangs to the analysis of the relationship between gang membership and different forms of victimization. We focus on specific mechanisms – such as gang organization, centrality, leadership roles, identity, and tenure – that inform gang member behaviors while controlling for risky behaviors and personal histories. Findings indicate (1) gang organization is positively associated with both simple and aggravated assault victimization; (2) gang centrality is positively associated with aggravated assault victimization; and (3) being the leader of a gang is negatively associated with aggravated assault victimization. We discuss the implications of these results using a gang-informed framework.

摘要

将帮派成员与处境相似的非帮派成员进行比较的研究发现，青少年参与帮派与经历简单和严重的攻击（即暴力受害）呈正相关。本研究通过使用丹佛青年调查中的帮派动态数据扩展了这些研究，并将与街头帮派直接相关的理论和概念引入到分析帮派成员身份与不同受害形式之间关系的分析中。我们专注于特定的机制——例如帮派组织、中心性、领导角色、身份和任期——这些机制在控制危险行为和个人历史的同时告知帮派成员的行为。调查结果表明 (1) 帮派组织与简单和严重的攻击受害呈正相关；(2) 帮派中心性与严重袭击受害呈正相关；(3) 成为帮派的头目与严重的攻击受害呈负相关。我们使用帮派知情框架讨论这些结果的含义。