Endorsing the Street Code: the impact of neighborhood gang activity on incarcerated youth

Abstract

ABSTRACT Extensive empirical research has demonstrated a strong association between the code of the street and gang violence among inmates within correctional settings. Largely absent from this literature is the prominence of Street Code beliefs among incarcerated youth populations. Using data from a sample of 306 adolescent males, analyses were conducted to assess the likelihood of Street Code endorsement among incarcerated youth from communities with gang problems prior to incarceration. Ordinal logistic regression analyses indicate that both gang-affiliated youth and youth that report high rates of gang conflict in their community are significantly more likely to endorse the Street Code as compared to their counterparts. Implications for both theory and policy are addressed.