Youth Gang Members: Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Use

Toi Harris,Sherri Simpson,Albert Sargent,Stephanie Kwok,Barbara Robles,Dennis Young,Sara Elkins,Amy Mayhew,Ayanna Brown,Matthew Shelton,Ashley Butler

doi:10.3390/laws2040392

Abstract

Objective: Approximately 260,000 of youth in the United States are gang-affiliated. There is a paucity of data available to identify the prevalence of mental health disorders in this population. Gang members share many of the features of “at risk” or juvenile justice involved youth who deny gang membership. The authors identified rates of psychiatric disorders within a juvenile justice population delineated in three categories: gang members, friends of gang members, and non-gang members. Methods: A retrospective review of records obtained by a juvenile probation department. A large detention center conducted mental health screenings on 7,615 youth aged 13–17. The mental health screenings were performed by either a master level or doctoral level mental health professional. Odds ratios were computed as an effect size for gender, race/ethnic differences, and gang-membership associations with self-reported psychiatric and substance use disorders. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the risk for psychiatric and substance use disorders among gang-members and friends of gang members. Diagnostic information was generated through a clinical interview and flexible battery. Results: Of the 7,615 youth in this study, ~50% had contact with gangs; 11% were self-identified gang-members, and 38% acknowledged having at least one friendship with a gang member. Similar to other studies, being male was a risk-factor for gang-membership (2.31 odds). In this multi-racial and ethnic study, Latinos had a greater affiliation with gang membership and association with gang members as friends (1.44 odds). Gang members were found to have increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (1.77 odds), current substance abuse (2.58 odds), oppositional defiant disorder, (1.24 odds) and conduct disorder (4.05 odds); however, they were less likely to have an adjustment disorder than non-gang members (0.70 odds). Conclusions: Juveniles who received a mental health assessment in this study were found to have differences in rates of psychiatric disorders and substance use based upon gang-affiliation or association. Current data is limited and inconsistent in the delineation of individual, family, peer, school and community characteristics specific to gang members. These differences warrant further investigation for intervention and treatment.

Highlights

In the United States, there are an estimated 29,000 gangs and nearly 750,000 members; 260,000 of those are adolescents
This is especially true when comparing the mental health of gang versus non-gang members who have been detained for suspected criminal acts
For the purpose of this study, the files from all Harris County Juvenile Detention mental health screenings were reviewed for individual information: age, ethnicity, languages spoken, medical history and psychiatric history and for predetermined variables to ascertain current/prior gang membership and or affiliation

Summary

Introduction

In the United States, there are an estimated 29,000 gangs and nearly 750,000 members; 260,000 of those are adolescents. Adolescents make up 30–40% of these members highlighting that many members continue involvement into adulthood. In communities where gang activity is new, more members are White [2]. There are few articles about gang involvement in the mental health literature [6,7,8]. The complexity of youth gang members’ psychological well-being and cognitive capabilities are unappreciated by our field. This is especially true when comparing the mental health of gang versus non-gang members who have been detained for suspected criminal acts

Methods

Results

Conclusion