Adolescent gangs in the hospital

Gang formation is common among adolescents, and the sociological dynamics of this phenomenon have been studied in depth. However, gang formation on mental health treatment units has not been extensively addressed. In this setting, gang members may disrupt treatment, threaten the safety of patients and staff, and leave the facility without receiving effective treatment. This impact motivated the authors to look beyond psychoanalytic and sociological models for an explanation of this phenomenon. After reviewing the literature and describing gang formation in a hospital, they apply a paradigm of moral development theory and suggest therapeutic interventions.