Full Description
Gangs in America's Communities offers a comprehensive, up-to-date, and theoretically grounded approach to gangs and associated youth violence. Authors Dr. James C. Howell and Dr. Elizabeth Griffiths introduce readers to the foundations of gang studies through the origins of gangs, definitions and categories of youth/street gangs, transnational as well as prison gangs (and the distinctions between these arguably different types), national trends in gang presence and gang-related violence across American cities, distinguishing attributes of serious street gangs, and myths and realities. Students and instructors will benefit from the Second Edition's comprehensive treatment of the state of the literature on individual-level causes and consequences of gang membership. Going beyond the traditional topics covered in most texts in the market, this book uniquely describes specific gang patterns, trends, and cultures within a group-based structure while illuminating the most promising avenues for reducing the presence and seriousness of gangs in American communities.
Contents
Chapter 1IntroductionThe Influence of Population Migration Patterns on Gang EmergenceStreet Gang Emergence in the Northeast RegionFirst Period of New York City Gang GrowthSecond Period of New York City Gang GrowthThird Period of New York City Gang GrowthModern-Day Eastern GangsStreet Gang Emergence in the Midwest RegionFirst Period of Chicago Gang GrowthSecond Period of Chicago Gang GrowthThird Period of Chicago Gang GrowthModern-Day Midwest GangsStreet Gang Emergence in the West RegionFirst Period of Los Angeles Gang GrowthSecond Period of Los Angeles Gang GrowthThird Period of Los Angeles Gang GrowthModern-Day Western GangsStreet Gang Emergence in the South RegionFirst Period of Southern Gang GrowthSecond Period of Southern Gang GrowthModern-Day Southern GangsAnother Wave of Immigrant GroupsThe Institutionalization of Street GangsChapter 2: Myths and Realities of Youth GangsIntroductionConsideration of Key Myths About GangsMyth 1: Most Gangs Have a Formal OrganizationMyth 2: Gangs of the Same Name Are ConnectedMyth 3: Our Gangs Came From Somewhere ElseMyth 4: The Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and 18th Street (M-18) Gangs Are Spreading Across the United StatesMyth 5: Gangs, Drugs, and Violence Are Inexorably LinkedMyth 6: A "Wanna-Be" Is a "Gonna-BeMyth 7: Children Are Joining Gangs at Younger and Younger AgesMyth 8: Gang Members Spend Most of Their Time Planning or Committing CrimesMyth 9: Gangs Often Have Highly Unusual Initiation RitesMyth 10: Most Youths Are Pressured to Join GangsMyth 11: Adults Recruit Many Adolescents to Join GangsMyth 12: Once Kids Join a Gang, They're Pretty Much Lost for GoodMyth 13: The Gang's Here for GoodMyth 14: Gang Members Are a New Wave of Super PredatorsMyth 15: Gangs Were Actively Involved in the Crack Cocaine EpidemicMyth 16: Zero Tolerance of Gang Behaviors Will Eliminate Gangs From SchoolsMyth 17: Sole Reliance on Law Enforcement Will Wipe Out GangsMyth 18: Nothing Works With GangsChapter 3: Defining Gangs and Gang MembersIntroductionDefining GangsTypologies of Gang Members and Gang StructuresA Spectrum of Gangs and Other GroupsGang SubcultureKey Elements of a Gang DefinitionA Recommended Gang Definition for Practical PurposesDefining Gang MembersNational Data on Gang MembersNational Data on the Number of Gangs and Associated MembersAge of Gang MembersRace and Ethnicity of Gang MembersGenderChapter 4: General Macro-Level Theories and Modern-Day ApplicationsIntroductionThe Chicago School and Development of the Social Disorganization PerspectiveThrasher's Contributions to Social Disorganization TheoryApplication of Social Disorganization Theory to GangsModern-Day Application of Social Disorganization Theory to GangsOther Pioneering Gang TheorizingAn Explanation of Gang Origins, Expansion, and ViolenceMacro-level TheoriesUnderclass TheoryRoutine Activities (Opportunity) TheoryConflict TheoryChapter 5: Gang Involvement as a Developmental TrajectoryIntroductionDevelopmental TheoriesDevelopmental Delinquency PathwaysLocation of Gang Membership in Developmental PathwaysA Developmental Model of Gang InvolvementPerceived Benefits of Joining a Gang: Gang AttractionsRelationship of Risk Factors to Gang InvolvementA Delinquency and Gang TheoryA Review of Risk and Protective Factors for Gang InvolvementThe Preschool StageThe School Entry StageThe Later Childhood StageThe Early Adolescence StageProtective FactorsApex of Gang Member Criminal ActivityLong-term Impact of Gangs on ParticipantDesistance from Gang MembershipChapter 6: Girls and GangsIntroductionFemales in Early Gang StudiesModern-Day Studies of Female Gang MembersLevel of Female Gang Involvement and Seriousness of CrimesThe Question of Increasing Female Gang InvolvementThe Importance of Gang Gender CompositionFemale Associates of Gang Members: Risks and Re-victimizationRisk Factors for Girls' Gang JoiningGirls' Unique Treatment Needs and Implications for Prevention and TreatmentRecommended Female-Specific ServicesRecommended Gender-Neutral ServicesChapter 7: National Gang Problem Trends: 1996 to 2009IntroductionAn Overview of Nationwide Gang Activity in the Modern EraGang Growth From the 1960s to the 1990sExplanations of Gang Growth in the 1980s and 1990sNationally Reported Youth Gang Activity From the Mid-1990sPatterns in U.S. Localities' Histories of Gang ActivityPatterns of Gang EmergencePresence of Gang Activity, 1996 - 2009Patterns of Gang Presence in Larger CitiesPolitical & Criminal Justice ContextEconomic ContextDemographic ContextCultural ContextModal CitiesChronic Gang City: Modesto, CaliforniaEmerging Gang City: Warwick, Rhode IslandContracting Gang City: Newport Beach, CaliforniaVariable Gang City: Asheville, North CarolinaRegional Variations in Gang PresenceExplaining the Emergence, Persistence, and Decline of Gang ActivityFactors affecting the Emergence of Gangs in New CitiesFactors affecting the Persistence of Gang Activity in CitiesFactors affecting the Decline of Gang Activity in CitiesChapter 8: Urban Gangs and ViolenceIntroductionThe Intensity of Gangs in CitiesPatterns and Trends in the Number of Active Gangs in CitiesPatterns and Trends in the Number of Gang Members in CitiesSerious Gang Problem TrendsGang-Related Homicides and Serious Gang ActivityRegional Variation in Gang-Related Homicide TrendsA Snapshot of Gang Homicide in the Largest CitiesCase Studies of Gang Problems in Large CitiesContextual Characteristics That Contribute to Serious Gang ProblemsCity CharacteristicsAvailability of Crime FacilitatorsDrug-Related FactorsFeatures of Gangs That Contribute to Serious Gang ProblemsNumber of GangsNumber of Gang MembersGang Structure & ConflictsPrison GangsTransnational Gangs as a Version of Street GangsViolent Hot Spots and Gang Set SpaceGroup ProcessCode of the StreetChapter 9: What Works: Gang PreventionIntroductionGang Intervention: Risk-Focused, Data-Driven, and Research-Based Gang PreventionCommunity AssessmentsStarter GangsBullyingA Framework for Prevention and Early InterventionStrategies for Delinquency and Gang Intervention and PreventionBuilding a Continuum of Effective Delinquency Prevention and Early Intervention ProgramsChild Exposure to Violence and Community SafetyChapter 10: What Works In A Comprehensive Gang Program ApproachIntroductionThe Comprehensive, Communitywide Gang Program ModelComprehensive Gang Program Model Administrative StructureImplementing the Comprehensive Gang Program ModelEvidence-Based Gang ProgramsEvidence-Based Gang Prevention ProgramsEvidence-Based Gang Intervention ProgramsGang SuppressionThe Evidence-Based Comprehensive Gang Program ModelThe Six-Site Comprehensive Gang Program Model EvaluationCompatibility of the Comprehensive Gang Program Model and Operation CeasefireOn the Horizon
