Chapter 5 - Gang Delinquency

Abstract

Publisher Summary For many individuals, agencies, and communities, the problem of youthful misbehavior is most notably gang delinquency. This is true in large cities where gangs are responsible for 25 percent or more of all homi­cides. Gangs and gang members are heavily involved in drug sales, assaultive behav­ior, robberies, and burglaries. Gangs take on different characteristics based on the desires of the members and the under­lying goal of the group. Some gangs are highly structured with many members, clear leadership, and set agendas. Other gangs are loose con­federations of a few individuals who interact on a sporadic basis. Names, colors, territory, leadership, and other components of gangs are in themselves only potential indicators of ganging. The behavioral tendencies of these groups also vary. Interest in gang activity has a long history in juvenile justice and has engendered renewed interest in the last few years. The research efforts to date provide striking similarities to one another. The form and explanations for ganging have changed little since Thrasher's work. The clear­est difference in recent work has been the finding of more serious violence directed against a wider range of victims.