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YOUTH GANGS AND VICTIMIZATION: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF GANG DYNAMICS ON EXPERIENCES OF VICTIMIZATION
John Leverso1, Kate K O'Neill2
1University of Oklahoma, Department of Sociology, Kaufman Hall, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Norman OK 73019.
Deviant Behavior
|September 29, 2022
Summary
Youth gang involvement increases violent victimization risk. Gang organization and centrality are linked to assault victimization, while leadership roles show a protective effect against aggravated assault.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Sociology
- Youth Studies
Background:
- Youth gang involvement is linked to increased violent victimization.
- Previous studies show a positive association between gang membership and assault victimization.
- Existing research often overlooks specific gang dynamics influencing victimization risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the relationship between gang membership and victimization using detailed gang dynamics.
- To investigate mechanisms like organization, centrality, leadership, identity, and tenure in gang-related victimization.
- To apply a gang-informed framework to understand assault victimization among youth.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Denver Youth Survey.
- Focused on specific gang dynamics: organization, centrality, leadership, identity, and tenure.
- Controlled for risky behaviors and personal histories to isolate gang effects.
Main Results:
- Gang organization positively correlates with both simple and aggravated assault victimization.
- Higher gang centrality is associated with increased aggravated assault victimization.
- Holding a leadership position within a gang is negatively associated with aggravated assault victimization.
Conclusions:
- Gang structure and member roles significantly influence victimization experiences.
- Understanding internal gang dynamics is crucial for addressing youth violence and victimization.
- Leadership may offer a protective factor against severe forms of victimization within gangs.
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