Antecedents to Gang Membership: Attachments, Beliefs, and Street Encounters with the Police

• NCJ Number: 223954
• Journal: Journal of Gang Research Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: Summer 2008 Pages: 15-33
• Author(s): Arthur J. Lurigio; Jamie L. Flexon; Richard G. Greenleaf
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Utilizing a large sample of public high school students in Chicago, this study explored gang members’ attitudes toward school and the police, their prosocial beliefs, and their experiences with the police.

Abstract

The findings indicated that gang membership was related to being stopped by the police, disrespected by the police, and fearful of gangs but unrelated to school commitment or prosocial beliefs. The implications of the results are discussed in terms of improving policy-youth relationships. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between gang membership and youths’ prosocial attitudes and experiences with the police. The study also investigated the relationship between fear of police and fear of gangs and youths’ membership in gangs. Data for the study were obtained from Chicago Public School students who were enrolled in May 2000. The study was interested in whether self-reported experiences with the police were related to self-identified gang membership after controlling for overall attitudes toward school and their prosocial beliefs. Tables and references