Browsing by Subject "gang"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Differentiating Between Delinquent Groups and Gangs: Moving Beyond Offending Consequences
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Carson, Dena C.; Wiley, Stephanie A.; School of Public and Environmental Affairs
    Even when controlling for high levels of delinquent peers, gang youth differ from their nongang counterparts on a variety of attitudinal and behavioral measures. Researchers have argued that differences can be attributed to the group processes present in the gang setting. This study explores the extent to which differences between youth in a gang and those in a delinquent group can be explained by Bandura’s social cognitive theory. Much of the prior research in this arena has relied on cross-sectional data; in this study, we expand on this prior research using fixed-effects modeling strategies with a multi-site panel of youth. The results comparing time periods when youth were in a gang versus a delinquent peer group indicate that gang-involved youth are more violent and have fewer conventional bonds. This work is able to advance our knowledge on attitudinal and behavioral differences between gangs and other types of peer groups.
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    Do Psychopathic Traits Distinguish Trajectories of Gang Membership?
    (2019) Carson, Dena C.; Ray, James V.
    Prior work that examines different stages of gang membership (joining, time in gang, and leaving) indicates that the gang experience is unique to each individual member. However, we know little about what accounts for variations in the gang experience; particularly, with regard to the role of individual-level characteristics. This article helps to fill this gap by examining how trajectories of gang membership vary based on one multifaceted individual-level characteristic: psychopathy. Some prior work suggests that gang members high in psychopathic traits are attracted to gang life and more likely to hold leadership roles in the gang. Other work indicates that those high in psychopathy are not well suited for gang membership. We make use of the Pathways to Desistance data and group-based trajectory modeling to examine these relationships. Results indicate that the relationship between psychopathy and gang membership is dependent upon the distinct factors of psychopathy.