| NCJ Number: |
165301  |
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| Title: |
Breaking the Bonds of Membership: Leaving the Gang (From Gangs in America, Second Edition, P 103-122, 1996, C Ronald Huff, ed. -- See NCJ-165296) |
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| Author(s): |
S H Decker; J L Lauritsen |
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| Date Published: |
1996 |
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| Page Count: |
20 |
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| Sponsoring Agency: |
Sage Publications, Inc
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 |
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| Sale Source: |
Sage Publications, Inc
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
United States of America |
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| Type: |
Research (Applied/Empirical) |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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| Annotation: |
A 3-year field study of gangs in St. Louis indicated that leaving gangs was a more complex and variable process than suggested in previous research. |
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| Abstract: |
Data were collected between October 1990 and September 1993 through interviews with 99 active gang members and 24 ex-gang members. Ex-members reported they formerly belonged to one of six constellations of gangs from which active gang members were recruited. Not surprisingly, ex-gang members were older (mean of 19 years) than active gang members (mean of 17 years). The sample of active gang members included 4 white males, 7 black females, and 88 black males. Data suggested the way in which individuals left gangs was a function of individual and group characteristics. In some instances, persons made an explicit decision to leave, while others simply drifted away. The process of leaving the gang was typically a gradual one, and most ex-gang members said violence played a role in their decision to leave the gang. Interventions to keep individuals from joining gangs and to encourage them to leave gangs are considered, as well as the relationship between the emotional ties of ex-gang members and their activities with active gang members. 1 note and 1 table |
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| Main Term(s): |
Juvenile/Youth Gangs |
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| Index Term(s): |
Gang Prevention; Gang violence; Juvenile delinquency prevention; Juvenile gang behavior patterns; Missouri; Violence prevention |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=165301 |
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