NCJ Number
165303
Date Published
1996
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Case examples of California gang members show that many gang members have not formed conventional attachment bonds and that cultural change is a major disruption in the lives of ethnic street youth.
Abstract
Attachment refers to the relationships an individual forms with significant others, primarily within the family. Commitment refers to well-defined goals that begin in the family but are formally forged in the educational system, involvement focuses on how young people spend their time, and beliefs constitute acceptance of certain social values. Social control theory encompasses attachment, commitment, involvement, and beliefs. Based on social control theory, the case examples of California gang members show that the attachment process is undermined by macrohistorical forces and that the lack of strong family ties affects gang involvement. Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, economic dislocation, divorce, and racism place severe stresses on many household units, making family life unstable and often pushing young people into the streets. In turn, young people rebel against parents or primary caretakers and instead gravitate toward role models of the street subculture. Street experiences play a significant role in undermining young people's commitment to conventional goals. In terms of involvement, the case examples show how some minority youth receive very little direction from their parents. With breakdowns in attachment, involvement, and commitment, young people have weakened ties to society's conventional values. Gangs are established and persist because they provide an alternative socialization process. 1 note