Young Gang Membership and Serious Violent Victimization: The Importance of Lifestyles and Routine Activities

• NCJ Number: 237136
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2008 Pages: 1441-1464
• Author(s): Terrance J. Taylor; Adrienne Freng; Finn-Aage Esbensen; Dana Peterson
• Date Published: October 2008
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 94-IJ-CX-0058
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined gang membership and serious violent victimization.

Abstract

Youth gangs have received substantial scholarly and public attention during the past two decades. Although most of the extant research on youth gang members has focused on their offending behaviors, recent studies have examined the victimization of youth gang members relative to their nongang peers. Gang members generally have been found to be at increased risk of victimization, although the reasons for this relationship have not fully been explored. The current study uses data from a multisite study of youth to explore whether the gang membership-victimization link is mediated by lifestyles and routine activities. In other words, is gang members' involvement in delinquent lifestyles and routine activities a viable explanation for their increased risk of serious violent victimization? Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research and policy are discussed. (Published Abstract)