Studying Youth Gangs

by Short, James F., Jr.; Hughes, Lorine A.; Dooley, Brendan D.; Fleisher, Mark S.; Hagedorn, John M.; Hall, Gina Penly; Kirk, David S.; Klein, Malcolm W.; Lankenau, Stephen E.; Lizotte, Alan J.; Olson, David E.; Papachristos, Andrew V.; Sanders, Bill; Short,

• ISBN13: 9780759109391
• ISBN10: 0759109397
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-27
• Publisher: AltaMira Press

Summary

This absorbing new collection is an introduction to the study of gangs how we define them, what we know and kno't know about gangs. The authors offer both a domestic and international view of processes of delinquency and gang formation and identity. It is an ideal text for criminal justice, sociology and social work, and a resource for law enforcement, probation and parole practitioners, and public defenders.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
James F. Short, Jr.
Lorine A. Hughes
Acknowledgments	xi
Why Study Gangs? An Intellectual Journey	1	(14)
James F. Short, Jr.
Are ``Gang'' Studies Dangerous? Youth Violence, Local Context, and the Problem of Reification	15	(22)
Mercer L. Sullivan
Studying Youth Gangs: The Importance of Context	37	(10)
Lorine A. Hughes
The Gang Facilitation Effect and Neighborhood Risk: Do Gangs Have a Stronger Influence on Delinquency in Disadvantaged Areas?	47	(16)
Gina Penly Hall
Terence P. Thornberry
Alan J. Lizotte
Neighborhood Effects on Street Gang Behavior	63	(22)
Andrew V. Papachristos
David S. Kirk
Youth Gang Social Dynamics and Social Network Analysis: Applying Degree Centrality Measures to Assess the Nature of Gang Boundaries	85	(14)
Mark S. Fleisher
Social Network Analysis and Gang Research: Theory and Methods	99	(18)
Andrew V. Papachristos
A Public Health Model for Studying Youth Gangs	117	(12)
Bill Sanders
Stephen E. Lankenau
The Value of Comparisons in Street Gang Research	129	(16)
Malcolm W. Klein
Hate Groups or Street Gangs? The Emergence of Racist Skinheads	145	(16)
Pete Simi
Youth Gang Research in Australia	161	(20)
Rob White
The Global Impact of Gangs	181	(12)
John M. Hagedorn
Gang Membership and Community Corrections Populations: Characteristics and Recidivism Rates Relative to Other Offenders	193	(10)
David E. Olson
Brendan D. Dooley
The Comprehensive, Community-wide Gang Program Model: Success and Failure	203	(22)
Irving A. Spergel
Kwai Ming Wa
Rolando Villarreal Sosa
Moving Gang Research Forward	225	(14)
James F. Short Jr.
Lorine A. Hughes
References	239	(30)
Index	269	(14)
About the Contributors	283