gangs

Offender Typology 1: Gangs and Juvenile Delinquency

Developed by Alice Thompson and Dr Sarah Pickup

Definition: A gang is defined as a group oriented and committed to antisocial, deviant, and criminal behaviour (Kennedy & Baron, 1993).
Demographics: An estimated 60,000 children identify as gang members (Children’s Commissioner, 2019).
Social Recognition: Gangs are recognized as a major social problem (Mayor of London Office for Policing and Crime, 2014).
Common Activities: The most prevalent gangs, known as Organised Crime Groups, often engage in illegal drug activities, specifically termed County Lines Activities (NCA, 2018).

Alienation and Marginalization: Feelings of alienation and marginalization motivate individuals to join gangs (Marshall et al., 2005).
Psychological Needs: Gangs offer protection, support, loyalty, identity, and self-esteem (Goldstein, 2002).
Resource Access: Gangs provide access to resources that are lacking in deprived environments (Wilson & Daly, 1993).
Psychological Significance: Gangs meet psychological needs that mainstream environments often fail to fulfill.

Negative Influences: Gangs may exert negative influences and promote violent behavior.
Crime Contribution: Gang members significantly contribute to overall crime levels (Chu et al., 2012).
Speculative Factors: There is no conclusive explanation for why gang membership leads to increased violent delinquency.

Socioeconomic Background: Typically from low socioeconomic backgrounds and neighborhoods with high juvenile delinquency.
Family Environment: Commonly come from families with poor parental management and a history of criminality.
Age Demographics: Generally aged between 12-18 years.
Psychological Factors: There is a relationship between low self-esteem, delinquency, and antisocial behavior.
Gender and Ethnicity: Predominantly male; their composition often reflects the ethnic makeup of the neighborhoods they represent.

Research Limitations: Limited research exists on the psychological processes of gang membership (Wood & Alleyne, 2010).
Theoretical Divide: Theories are divided into two broad categories: criminological theories and psychological theories.
- Criminological Theories: Focus on social aspects of crime, including economic and social strain and social relationships.
- Psychological Theories: Concern psychological processes that render individuals vulnerable to gang memberships.

Delinquent behavior is learned from others' activities or media (Felson, 1996).
Behavior Modeling: Activities and messages can serve as direct models or reinforcements of behavior (Akers, 1998).
Peer Influence: Friends act as important models from whom youth learn delinquent behaviors, with peer approval reinforcing these actions (Bao et al., 2000).
Reinforcement Dynamics: If a criminal act results in social and material reinforcement that outweighs potential punishments, the behavior is likely to be repeated (Williams & McShane, 1999).

Identity Formation: A strong gang identity correlates with a member's self-worth.
Respect and Belonging: Gangs provide a sense of respect and belonging, fostering strong group identification (Tajfel, 1978).
Group Processes: Identity maintenance is activated in the presence of other gang members, along with the process of