Psychology of gang involvement / edited by Jane Wood, Jaimee S. Mallion and Sarah Frisby-Osman.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Frisby-Osman, Sarah, editor.

Mallion, Jaimee, editor.

Wood, Jane L., editor.

Series:

Routledge Studies in Criminal Behaviour

Routledge studies of criminal behaviour

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gangs--Psychology.

Gangs.

Criminal psychology.

Gangsters.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (165 pages)

Place of Publication:

London ; New York, New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, [2023]

Summary:

"Psychology of Gangs expands existing knowledge by applying psychological knowledge to gangs, including how gang members think, their mental and emotional wellbeing, and their perceptions of gang involvement, as well as issues relating to gang prevention and intervention strategies. This book offers readers a clearer understanding of the important role that social psychological processes play in the formation and maintenance of gangs and gang membership. It will enhance readers' understanding of gang members' social cognition, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and mental health, as well as how these factors potentially promote and sustain individual gang involvement. Readers will discover also how these important psychological characteristics vary according to an individual's commitment to a gang. Organized in three sections, the first focuses on issues relevant to theoretical perspectives of gang involvement. Chapters include detailed examinations of a gang member's experiences, and the implications of these for theoretical development, and considerations of the importance that social psychological issues such as group processes and levels of commitment to gang membership, to understanding and explaining involvement in gangs. The second section centres on issues such as adverse childhood experiences and trauma, and examines their links to male and female gang membership as potential risk factors, and potential outcomes of gang involvement. The section concludes by contemplating how the mental health, traumatic experiences, and involvement in violence compares between gang members and other violent men in adulthood. The final section evaluates current responses to gang membership by evaluating individual and group-based approaches to gang prevention and intervention strategies, and concludes with a theoretical conceptualization of how a strengths-based approach could work to reduce gang involvement. This book will be a useful text for a wide range of readers interested in, or working with, gang members, including academics and students, practitioners, youth workers, clinicians, and criminal justice agents"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover

Half Title

Series Information

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Table of Contents

Illustrations

Contributors

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Overview of the Book

Reference

Part 1 Theoretical Perspectives of Gang Involvement

1 A Case Study of Gang Involvement Using a Unified Theory Framework

The Unified Theory of Gang Involvement

The Case History of HY

Individual, Social, and Environmental Background Factors

The Role of Social Cognition and Selection of Peers in Motivating Gang Involvement

Criminal Learning and Criminal Activity Preceding Stable Gang Membership

Intersecting Individual, Social, Environmental, And Sociocognitive Factors Lead to Stable Gang Membership

Prosocial Social Controls and Self-Conscious Emotions Motivate Desistence From Gang Involvement

Theoretical Implications of HY's Case Study

References

2 Bonds in Gangs: Understanding the Importance of Group Processes Within Street Gang Members' Cognition

Gangs Or Groups Or … ?

Group Processes and Social Cognition

Group Processes, Social Cognition and Outcomes - Do We Know Enough?

The Importance of Specific Group Processes

Empirical Findings: Perceived Group Processes in Gangs and Social Cognition Evolution

Qualitative Findings: Gang Members' Views of Gang/Group Processes

Quantitative Findings: The Importance of Specific Group Processes to Gang Members

Implications and Conclusion

3 Gang Member Typologies and Levels of Embeddedness

Gang Membership Typology

Gang Membership Variation - Affects and Effects

Integrating Factors and Developing Theory

Background Factors

Expressions of Emotion

Personality Factors

Prosocial Values

Blame Attribution

Assessing Gang Embeddedness: Methodological Implications

Reducing Gang Embeddedness.

Conclusion

Part 2 Psychological Characteristics of Gang Members

4 The Role of Trauma in the Developmental Trajectories of Gang-Involved Youth

Prevalence of Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Among Youth Gang Members

Trauma Exposure

PTSD and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Trauma as a Risk Factor for Gang Involvement

Potential Underlying Processes Linking Trauma Exposure and PTSD to Gang Involvement

Developmental Deficits Associated With Trauma

Posttraumatic Hypervigilance

Emotional Numbing and Trauma-Linked Callousness

Risk-Seeking

Futurelessness

Trauma Coping

Trauma as an Outcome of Gang Involvement

Potential Underlying Processes Linking Gang Involvement to Posttraumatic Stress

Perpetration Trauma

Dynamic and Transactional Perspectives

Trauma as a Catalyst for Gang Desistance

Potential Underlying Trauma-Related Processes That Thwart Desistance

Ongoing Stigma and Trauma Triggers

Persistent Unaddressed PTSD

Traumatic Grief and Traumatic Attachments

Insecure Internal Working Models of Relationships

Trauma-Related Processes in the Family and Social Contexts

Intergenerational Transmission

Ethnicity/Race/Culture

Implications for Prevention and Intervention

Enhancing Gang Reduction Efforts Through Trauma-Informed Practices

Adapting Evidence-Based Trauma Treatments for Gang-Involved Youth

Conclusion

5 Like a Moth to a Flame: Behavioral Disorders and Gangs

A Role for Psychology and Psychiatry

Behavioral Disorders, Externalizing Symptomatology, and Gang Behavior

Discussion

Notes

6 The Psychology of Adult Gang Involvement

Theoretical Propositions and Adult Gang Membership

Empirical Examinations of Adult Gang Members

Community and Employment

Mental Health

Emotional Health.

Sexual Behavior

Gang Embeddedness, Psychological Characteristics, and Violence

Implications and Conclusions

Part 3 Reducing Gang Involvement

7 Gang Responses: Integrating Public Health and Criminal Justice

Community-Based Gang Responses

Organization-Based Gang Responses

School Sector

Employment Sector

Hospital Sector

Criminal Justice Sector

Police

Courts

Corrections

Individual-Based Gang Responses

Primary Prevention

8 Preventing and Reducing Gang Membership

Social Identity Intervention

Psychoeducational Interventions

Behavioral and Family Interventions

Features of Effective Programs

Future Directions

9 Applying the Good Lives Model to Gang Intervention

General Assumptions of GLM

Etiological Assumptions of GLM

Practical Implications: Using the GLM to Guide Gang Rehabilitation

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-000-77443-0

1-00-324273-1

1-003-24273-1

1-000-77440-6

9781003242734

OCLC:

1319082706