Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Gang presence and associated serious and violent criminal behavior of youth in America continues to be an alarming concern of researchers and policy makers. Since the early 1900s, criminologists and sociologists alike have attempted to explain gang development, membership, and criminal and delinquent behavior associated with gang groups. Traditional gang theories stem from Robert K. Merton’s Strain theory and Edwin Sutherland’s Differential Association theory. These criminological theories however, focused on explaining male gang delinquency, thereby leaving the literature void of criminological theories explaining female gang existence, involvement and delinquency. A secondary data analysis will be conducted using the National Longitudinal Youth Survey Data series 1997-2001 to examine Albert K. Cohen’s Subculture of Delinquency Theory (1955) and its ability to explain youth gangs. Emphasis will be placed on whether the traditional male oriented gang theories significantly account for variations in female gang existence, activity and delinquent behavior. A preliminary analysis will be conducted examining strain, neighborhood, demographic, and delinquency measures.